Collagen peptides and appetite after exercise in active women
What it found
Taking 15 g of collagen peptides after cycling led women to eat about 41 kcal less at their next meal.
It also raised certain gut hormones linked to fullness.
What they found
Studies in people
Less food eaten
Women ate about 10 percent less at the pasta meal after taking collagen peptides. That was roughly 41 kcal fewer than when they had the placebo drink.
Gut hormones rose
After the collagen drink, blood levels of GLP-1 and insulin were higher than with the placebo. These hormones are linked to feeling full.
Hunger hormone fell
Levels of ghrelin, a hormone that drives hunger, were lower when women took collagen peptides compared to the placebo.
No change in hunger feelings
Despite eating less, the women did not report feeling any more or less hungry on questionnaires. Stomach comfort was about the same with both drinks.
Blood sugar unchanged
Blood sugar levels over the test day were similar whether the women took collagen peptides or the placebo.
What the authors conclude
- They conclude that taking collagen peptides after exercise raises certain hormones and slightly lowers how much women eat at their next meal.
- They note the drop of about 41 kcal is small and may not matter much in daily life.
- The authors call for longer studies in other groups, including men and people carrying extra weight, to see if these effects last.
How it was done
Protein drinks can lower appetite, but most research has looked at whey or soy rather than collagen. Scientists wanted to see if collagen peptides change hunger and food intake after exercise.
Fifteen healthy, active young women took either 15 g of collagen peptides or a flavoured water placebo every day for seven days. On the final day they cycled for 45 minutes, drank the supplement, and were then offered as much pasta as they wanted. Blood samples and hunger ratings were collected throughout.
What it can’t tell you
- The trial lasted only seven days, so it cannot show what happens if someone takes collagen peptides for weeks or months.
- Everyone tested was a young, active woman, so the results might not apply to men, older adults or people who do not exercise regularly.
Who paid
- Authors work at
- Loughborough University, UK; University of Leicester, UK; University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust and University of Leicester, UK
The paper
- Title
- The effects of collagen peptide supplementation on appetite and post-exercise energy intake in females: a randomised controlled trial
- Type
- Randomised controlled trial
- Evidence
- Studies in people
- Summarised from
- Full text
- Cite
- Reynolds KM, Hansell EJ, Thorley J, et al (2025). The effects of collagen peptide supplementation on appetite and post-exercise energy intake in females: a randomised controlled trial. The British journal of nutrition. doi:10.1017/S0007114525103851Free full textPubMed 40685650DOI
Summary written 30 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error