We've known for some time that extra protein for our geriatric clients can help them add some extra lean muscle mass. For physical therapy, more lean muscle mass means better balance, less falls, and greater lifespan. Despite this, the FDA still calls for the standard 0.8g/kg/bw for protein for older adults. Does more protein really help actual muscle protein synthesis? Also, does the protein source matter? I have many clients taking collagen right now, assuming they are getting added joint benefits plus extra protein for the muscles -- but does it help?

We explore these topics and more in our recent video. The transcript of the video is below. Enjoy!

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Collagen Supplementation for Joint Pain and Arthritis: Does it Really Work?

By Dr. Sean M.Wells, DPT, PT, OCS, ATC/L, CSCS, NSCA-CPT, CNPT, Cert-DN

Recently I was presenting at the annual conference of Athletic Trainers' Association of Florida (ATAF) and I was overwhelmed by one consistent question: why didn't you talk about collagen supplementation?

My talk was specifically on orthopedics for older adults and naturally I focused on osteoarthritis (OA) and how important exercise and diet are for that condition. I did touch on some supplementation, but I left off collagen because my last examination of this supplement, using one of my favorite websites Examine.com, yielded mediocre results. However the participants at the sports medicine conference piqued my interest and convinced me that perhaps I had missed something -- almost every single one of these participants had some form of joint pain or stiffness and felt significantly better after taking collagen daily. So, back to the li...