Our articles are usually not designed to switch medical recommendation. When you’ve got an harm we suggest seeing a professional well being skilled. To e-book an appointment with Tom Goom (AKA ‘The Operating 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 seek out any potential options and so I usually get requested – may food regimen or dietary supplements assist? Let’s attempt to reply this with among the newest analysis and discover suggestions we will make to our sufferers.

Weight-reduction plan definitely has the potential to be an essential 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 answer modifications in food regimen.

Alcohol could play a job too. It’s thought to affect collagen synthesis and could also be a danger issue for tendinopathy (though analysis is inconsistent – Hijlkema et al. 2022). It additionally impacts basic well being, psychological wellbeing and weight.

Collagen is vital! 60 to 80% of the dry mass of tendon is collagen (Tresoldi et al. 2013) and its synthesis is believed to play a key position in tendon adaptation in response to train. Weight-reduction 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 strategy 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 current systematic evaluate from Hijlkema et al. (2022) reported:

“The usage of dietary dietary supplements was examined in fourteen research. Amongst these, collagen-derived peptides have been most frequently a part of the dietary supplements evaluated.

Combining coaching and dietary dietary supplements appears to induce higher medical and useful outcomes in tendinopathy.”

Nevertheless, they went on to spotlight the shortage of top quality research:

“This evaluate demonstrates the paucity of high-quality research and all kinds amongst research relating to vitamins, tendon location, research inhabitants, and reported end result measures.”

“Particular person research confirmed promising medical implications for the usage of dietary dietary supplements, notably these containing collagen-derived peptides. Nevertheless, giving any definitive dietary suggestions on the prevention and remedy of tendinopathy stays elusive.”

They concluded:

“All in all, collagen appears to be helpful within the remedy of tendinopathy, however conclusions about optimum dosage, timing, period, and sort of collagen supplementation can’t be drawn but.”

“Enhancing the ordinary consumption ought to be the principle focus of athletes reasonably than the consumption of dietary dietary supplements”

So the place does this depart us and what suggestions can we at the moment make? We spoke to Nutritionist Fran Taylor for her knowledgeable enter and summarised the important thing factors within the graphic beneath. Be happy to put it aside to share it together with your sufferers.

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