Atlanta-based sports nutritionist Marie Spano, CSCS, suggests that you prioritize consuming collagen to support cartilage repair. “Both collagen hydrolysates and undenatured collagen (regardless of source or molecular weight) help reduce cartilage destruction or promote cartilage repair,” she says.
Getting enough vitamin C, zinc, copper, and manganese in your diet also supports the body’s production of collagen, according to Mayo Clinic.
It still isn’t clear how collagen works, says Spano. “Research to date suggests collagen supplements may work in one of three ways: Stimulate cartilage cells to synthesize collagen, inhibit the death of healthy cartilage cells, and the peptides in collagen supplements may serve as the building blocks for cartilage,” she says.
The menisci are made up of 70 percent collagen, according to StatPearls. And while research is still emerging, supplemental collagen is a low-risk option that may help with recovery, according to a research review. Consuming 2 ½ to 15 g of hydrolyzed collagen daily is considered safe, with doses on the higher end of that range being more likely to support muscle-mass maintenance, according to UCLA Health.
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