Does Collagen Help Heal Tendons? My Personal Journey Back from Elbow Pain

I’m 44, and I’ve had more than my fair share of injuries over the years. But the latest one surprised even me. Of all things, it was go-karting that did me in.

After a long weekend of racing, I was taken down by a piercing pain in both elbows—part tennis elbow, part golfer’s elbow, with some strain in the tricep tendons too. It was a sharp, aggravating pain that flared up when I lifted something, gripped too hard, or even just rested my arm in the wrong position. At one point, it hurt so badly I wasn’t sure I could drive home from the race meeting. (Spoiler: I did, thanks to some ibuprofen.)

With that level of discomfort—and a whole season of karting ahead—ignoring the tendon injury wasn’t an option. Fortunately, this coincided with a podcast I stumbled on, and I soon went down the rabbit hole. What I found reshaped how I think about tendons, preventative exercise, and even supplements.

Isometrics: The Podcast That Started It All

It began with an episode of The Tim Ferriss Show featuring Dr. Keith Baar, a tendon researcher from UC Davis. He’s one of the few scientists doing cutting-edge research on how to actually change tendon structure through exercise and nutrition.

What stuck with me was his claim that tendons could be remodelled with specific isometric exercises—and that, unlike muscle, they respond best to longer-duration, low-movement loading (like 20–30 second holds), not the short, sharp bursts of typical weight training.

Then, in parallel, I listened to Dr. Andy Galpin on the FoundMyFitness podcast with Dr. Rhonda Patrick. Galpin—who’s known for calling out overhyped supplements—said:

“I’ve changed my tune on this one… more and more research has come out, and it looks like there’s something actually happening here… We now often recommend [collagen] prophylactically—even if you're not injured.”

Hearing two trusted experts highlight both mechanical loading and collagen supplementation caught my attention.

Does Collagen Supplementation Actually Work?

Like many, I’d heard the sceptical arguments:
“Collagen just gets digested like any other protein.”
“Just eat a good diet—you don’t need supplements.”

Honestly? Those arguments make sense. But I was desperate to fix my arms, and open to new approaches.

What I learned is that yes, collagen gets broken down, but some fragments—di- and tripeptides—do survive digestion and circulate in the blood. Research shows they can stimulate fibroblasts, the cells responsible for producing collagen in tendons and ligaments.

Even Galpin and Patrick, who were originally sceptics, acknowledged that a rodent study using isotope-labelled collagen showed intact peptides made their way to the tendons. That’s not definitive proof in humans, but it’s enough to be worth trying.

Isometric Exercises to Support Elbow/wrist Tendon Recovery

Isometric exercises load the muscle without joint movement—think wall sits for the legs—you’re working hard, but not moving!

For my elbows, here’s what I used:

• Rotational holds: I pinned a broom handle under the worktop and tried to rotate one end toward the ceiling. The worktop prevented movement, but the effort loaded the tendon.
  → 4 sets of 20 seconds, each direction.
  

• Biceps/triceps holds:

• Triceps: Hands on top of the counter, pushing downward.

• Biceps: Hands underneath, trying to lift the counter.
  → 4 sets of 20 seconds each.
  

• Wrist isometrics: Holding the wrist in flexion and extension against light resistance.
  → 4 sets of 20 seconds each way.
  

• Supported pull-up hold at the gym: Static hold at the top position for 15–20 seconds for 4 sets.

Isometric hangs, with the support of a wooden box.

The Collagen Protocol I Followed

After reviewing the literature, I followed the same basic protocol that Dr. Keith Baar recommends and Galpin supports:

15–20 g of collagen (or gelatin) + 50 mg of vitamin C, taken 30–60 minutes before tendon-loading exercise.

I used U Perform Active Collagen, which contains two clinically studied Bioactive Collagen Peptides® plus added vitamins and minerals to support ligaments, tendons, and soft tissue repair.

The timing is crucial—the idea is to have peak collagen-building amino acids in the bloodstream just as the tendon is stimulated through load.

The Research That Convinced Me

Here are a few of the studies that gave me confidence this was worth trying:

Vitamin C–Enriched Gelatin Boosts Collagen Synthesis

15 g of gelatin plus 50 mg of vitamin C taken 1 hour before exercise doubled collagen synthesis markers (PINP) in healthy adults. Blood taken post-ingestion also improved collagen structure in engineered ligaments. Shaw et al., 2017. Am J Clin Nutr.

Osteoarthritis Relief

10 g of collagen peptides daily for 24 weeks reduced knee pain and improved joint function in people with osteoarthritis. Carrillo-Norte et al., 2025. Contemporary Clinical Trials Communications.

Improved Recovery in Athletes

5 g collagen daily for 12 weeks reduced exercise-related knee pain in young athletes by ~20 points on a pain scale. Zdzieblik et al., 2017. Appl Physiol Nutr Metab.

Tendon Adaptation in Female Athletes

30 g collagen + 500 mg vitamin C increased patellar tendon stiffness by 18% in female soccer players. Lee et al., 2023. Frontiers in Physiology.

My Results? Still a Work in Progress

After adopting this protocol, I’ve made it through two karting weekends. There’s still some discomfort, but nothing like the original incident. I’ll be continuing with the isometrics and collagen in the hope of “bulletproofing” my elbows for the rest of the season.

Takeaways

If you’re dealing with tendon pain—or just trying to future-proof your joints—here’s what I’ve learned:

• 🧃 Timing and dosage matter: Take collagen 30–60 minutes before loading, not randomly.
  

• 🏋️ Mechanical loading is essential: Supplements alone won’t trigger change—your tendon needs to be stimulated.
  

• 📉 Minimal downside: Low risk, modest cost.
  

• 📈 Possible upside: Better recovery, stronger tendons, healthier joints.

As Dr. Galpin put it:

“Worst case, you spent some money. Best case, you get stronger tendons, better skin, and fewer injuries.”

That’s a bet I’m happy to take.