Nutritional Sciences Ph.D. Candidate Receives NSCA Funding to Study Collagen Peptides – UConn Today

If you’ve browsed social media or a supplement site in the past year, chances are you’ve seen tubs of colorful collagen peptides. This popular supplement is often marketed as supporting joint and bone health (among other things, like skin elasticity and digestion).

But do these statements come true? That’s what Nick Kuhlman, Ph.D of nutritional science. candidate, is researching his book.

Kuhlman recently received funding to support his work from the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) Foundation, one of the nation’s leading providers of support for sports and kinesiology research.

Prior to research, Kuhlman worked as a strength and conditioning coach for several universities, including West Texas A&M University and the University of South Alabama (where he became the athletic director). .

“The NSCA is the gold standard and certification organization for strength and conditioning coaches, at the professional and collegiate levels,” Kuhlman says. “I have been involved in that organization as a coach for many years. But they also have an ongoing foundation in terms of strength and conditioning research, and athletic development. When I moved on to education, I used that opportunity to apply for this award.”

Kuhlman’s double-blind, placebo-controlled study will examine the effects of collagen peptide supplements (using the popular trade name) on bone metabolism, tendon health, and biomarkers of inflammation and recovery in female distance runners. These populations are at double the risk of osteoporosis, and other stress-related bone injuries such as stress fractures, due to their high-impact sports. and nutritional problems.

By examining bone materials as well as biomarkers in the blood, the study will investigate whether regular collagen peptide supplementation helps prevent bone loss.

Researching the Health Claims of Collagen

Collagen is one of the latest additions to the group of popular supplements marketed with strong health claims. Since supplemental advertising is not heavily regulated in the United States, companies have a wide range of opportunities for their advertising.

However, in the case of collagen, there is solid evidence that some of the health claims may hold up. Kuhlman discusses existing research on the supplement’s benefits for bone density among post-menopausal women. But, he says, “There isn’t much evidence in the athletic population.”

The findings of this study will help runners and other athletes evaluate whether they can benefit from adding collagen peptides to their supplement regimens.

“Either way, whether we find significant effects or not, I think it’s important,” says Kuhlman. “If we have a finding, we can say, ‘Okay, despite what you might see in these ads, it doesn’t actually appear in the books.’ On the other hand, if we find bone health improves, we can help clarify health issues. ”

Looking at nutritional claims as a consumer can be challenging, especially since many supplements come with high price tags. How can you be sure that you are spending your money on something that will improve your life?

“It’s hard for me, and for someone who’s not in the world of science, I see it as really challenging,” Kuhlman says, adding that individual differences can create even more confusion. – some people may experience positive effects from quitting. given supplement, while others may report a neutral or negative effect from the exact same product.

That’s why he’s eager to provide new information that can help consumers make informed decisions.

He says: “I am interested in measures that people can use in their daily lives.

Supporting the Health of the Athletic Community

For Kuhlman, this research at the intersection of nutrition and exercise science is the latest step in a career aimed at promoting athletic health. Getting his doctorate, he says, was an exercise in understanding the scientific side of the work he did as a trainer and coach.

“Getting a Ph.D. it was something I wanted to do for a while,” he says. “I love research. I love how to ask a question and use the scientific method to uncover some of the truth about whatever problem you’re trying to solve. ”

During his doctoral studies, Kuhlman published many articles on sports nutrition and performance, especially among college athletes, and presented his research at five conferences.

After receiving his degree, he hopes to stay in the world of research, exploring the many questions that athletes and sportspeople deal with every day. His research seeks to help people understand how nutrition and exercise can benefit everyone – not just those looking to increase their athletic ability.

He says: “I’m a big believer in the fact that proper nutrition and exercise can control health in many ways. “It’s not just ‘high performance’ – it’s really about health. Health underpins all of this.”