Our articles will not be designed to switch medical recommendation. In case you have an harm we advocate seeing a professional well being skilled. To ebook an appointment with Tom Goom (AKA ‘The Working Physio’) go to our clinic web page. We provide each in-person assessments and on-line consultations.
Individuals with tendon ache are sometimes eager to search out any potential options and so I typically get requested – may weight loss program or dietary supplements assist? Let’s attempt to reply this with a number of the newest analysis and discover suggestions we are able to make to our sufferers.
Weight loss plan definitely has the potential to be an vital issue. Diabetes, weight problems, raised ldl cholesterol and hypertension are all related to tendinopathy and tendon well being. Additionally they all have the potential to reply to adjustments in weight loss program.
Alcohol could play a task too. It’s thought to affect collagen synthesis and could also be a threat issue for tendinopathy (though analysis is inconsistent – Hijlkema et al. 2022). It additionally impacts common well being, psychological wellbeing and weight.
Collagen is essential! 60 to 80% of the dry mass of tendon is collagen (Tresoldi et al. 2013) and its synthesis is assumed to play a key function in tendon adaptation in response to train. Weight loss plan and dietary supplements could affect this. Taking Vitamin C enriched gelatin (a supply of collagen) 1 hour previous to train has been discovered to extend collagen synthesis (Shaw et al. 2017). This method sowed promising leads to a case research of a affected person with patellar tendinopathy (Baar 2019)
Clearly the potential is there however what does the analysis say?…
A latest systematic assessment from Hijlkema et al. (2022) reported:
“The usage of dietary dietary supplements was examined in fourteen research. Amongst these, collagen-derived peptides had been most frequently a part of the dietary supplements evaluated.
Combining coaching and dietary dietary supplements appears to induce higher medical and purposeful outcomes in tendinopathy.”
Nonetheless, they went on to focus on the dearth of top of the range research:
“This assessment demonstrates the paucity of high-quality research and all kinds amongst research relating to vitamins, tendon location, research inhabitants, and reported final result measures.”
“Particular person research confirmed promising medical implications for using dietary dietary supplements, significantly these containing collagen-derived peptides. Nonetheless, giving any definitive dietary suggestions on the prevention and remedy of tendinopathy stays elusive.”
They concluded:
“All in all, collagen appears to be useful within the remedy of tendinopathy, however conclusions about optimum dosage, timing, length, and sort of collagen supplementation can’t be drawn but.”
“Bettering the routine consumption must be the primary focus of athletes quite than the consumption of dietary dietary supplements”
So the place does this depart us and what suggestions can we at present make? We spoke to Nutritionist Fran Taylor for her knowledgeable enter and summarised the important thing factors within the graphic under. Be at liberty to reserve it to share it along with your sufferers.
For extra on treating tendinopathy and operating accidents take a look at the Working Repairs Course and observe us on Instagram and Fb.
