Collagen Supplements for Tennis Elbow and Golfer’s Elbow: Do They Help?
Oral collagen supplements may support recovery in tennis elbow or golfer’s elbow, especially when combined with targeted exercise. Explore the potential benefits, dosage, and safety.
What Is Tennis Elbow?
Also known as Lateral Epicondylitis or Lateral Epicondylosis
Tennis elbow is a painful condition affecting the outer side of the elbow. It occurs when the tendon at the bony bump (lateral epicondyle) on the outer side of the elbow becomes injured. This tendon links the forearm muscles to the elbow. The tendon is a tough, cord-like tissue that connects muscle to bone.
The primary cause of tennis elbow is overuse of the muscles we use to grip, pull, and lift the wrist up. Over time, the stress due to overuse can cause tiny tears in the tendon. Rarely, a sudden injury to the arm or elbow can cause tennis elbow.
Pain on the outer side of the elbow is the most common symptom. Activities like lifting the arm, gripping an object, or moving the wrist can worsen the pain. Other symptoms can include swelling in the elbow, pain in the forearm, and difficulty fully straightening the arm.
Treatments for tennis elbow can include cold therapy (ice packs), pain medications, limiting triggers, physiotherapy, steroid injections, and surgery.
According to the NHS, tennis elbow affects 5 in 1000 adults each year in the UK. (1)
What Is Golfer’s Elbow?
Also known as Medial Epicondylitis
Golfer’s elbow causes pain on the inner side of the elbow and forearm. It occurs when the tendon at the bony bump on the inner side of the elbow becomes injured. Golfer’s elbow usually occurs due to overuse of tendons near the elbow.
Pain on the inner side of the elbow is the most common symptom. The pain usually occurs when moving the forearm. However, in some people, pain may be constant, even at rest. Some people may also notice the pain spreading from the inner side of the elbow towards the wrist.
Other symptoms can include stiffness in the forearm and difficulty holding objects.
Treatments can include rest, physiotherapy, cold therapy, and pain medications. Other treatment options can include steroid injections, removing damaged tissue, shockwave therapy (SWT), and surgery.
Tennis Elbow vs. Golfer’s Elbow
| Features | Tennis elbow | Golfer’s elbow |
| Type of pain | Sharp and intense at first and dull over time | Dull ache that may worsen with certain activities |
| Location of pain | Outer side of the elbow | Inner side of the elbow |
| Potential triggers | Repetitive gripping motions or forceful wrist extensions (tennis players, painters) | Forceful gripping or wrist flexion (golfers, weightlifters) |
| Occurrence | More common | Less common (approximately 11 times less common than tennis elbow) (2) |
How Collagen Supplements May Help Tennis Elbow and Golfer’s Elbow
Both conditions were initially thought to be inflammatory. However, emerging evidence suggests they are degenerative conditions characterised by gradual tendon degeneration. (3) As degeneration progresses, the tendon becomes weak and fails to support additional stress that comes with repetitive activities.
While tendon degeneration involves changes in collagen structure, oral collagen does not directly replace damaged tendon tissue. Instead, it may provide amino acids that support collagen synthesis, particularly when combined with exercise.
Not to forget, over 80% of the dry weight of the tendon is collagen. Type I collagen is the most abundant and provides durability and strength to the tendon. (4)
Collagen is one of the most widely studied nutrients for tendinopathies, with potential for improving pain and function, especially when combined with specific exercise. According to the Australian Sports Commission (ASC), collagen supplementation with rehabilitative exercise supports tendon repair in sports injuries.
Oral collagen has also shown promising results for other tendinopathies. For example, in combination with exercise, oral collagen may help improve symptoms and blood vessel growth in tendons in people with Achilles tendinopathy. (5)
Likewise, collagen supplementation has been found to improve symptoms in people with jumper’s knee (patellar tendinopathy).
Proposed Mechanism of Action
Collagen supplementation may support how the tendon adapts to physical activity. Besides, oral collagen may affect the rate at which old collagen fibers are replaced in the tendon tissues. Lastly, collagen supplements may accelerate tendon healing by reducing inflammation.
Most studies have looked into the benefits of collagen, exercise, and other nutrients including vitamin C. Thus, collagen is considered a supportive therapy instead of a standalone treatment.
Vitamin C is crucial for collagen synthesis and tendon healing. Besides, this water-soluble vitamin supports normal tendon function by neutralising substances that contribute to tendon degeneration. These substances are known as reactive oxygen species (ROS). (6)
Thus, vitamin C is often included in oral collagen supplements.
Collagen Supplements for Tennis Elbow and Golfer’s Elbow: Dosage and Safety
According to a 2026 review, daily collagen intake between 15g and 30g with vitamin C (greater than or equal to 50mg daily) and resistance training can help improve tendon function by increasing tendon stiffness and cross-sectional area. (7)
According to the researchers, a higher daily dose may be more effective than lower doses. For best results, they recommend taking collagen about an hour before training.
These supplements are typically safe. When side effects occur, they are usually mild.
Also Read: Are Collagen Supplements Safe? A Closer Look at the Latest Evidence
Key Takeaways
Oral collagen supplementation may support recovery in people with tennis elbow and golfer’s elbow. A few studies have looked into the potential benefits specific to tennis elbow and golfer’s elbow. Thus, the potential benefits of collagen for these conditions are largely extrapolated from studies on other tendinopathies.
Collagen Supplements for Tennis Elbow and Golfer’s Elbow: Frequently Asked Questions
- Can collagen heal tennis elbow?
Collagen alone is unlikely to heal tennis elbow, but it may support tendon repair when combined with exercise.
- How long does collagen take to work for tendon pain?
It may take 8 to 12 weeks or longer.
- Should I take collagen before or after exercise?
Taking collagen about an hour before exercise may be better.
- Is collagen better than physiotherapy?
No, physiotherapy remains first-line treatment.
References:
- NHS Fife. Tennis Elbow (Lateral Epicondylitis/osis). NHS Fife, Feb. 2025, www.nhsfife.org/services/all-services/patient-advice/tennis-elbow-lateral-epicondylitisosis/
- Ministry of Defence. Tennis Elbow (Lateral Epicondylitis of the Elbow). GOV.UK, Sept. 2008, assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a7cfeea40f0b60a7f1a9a2d/tennis_elbow.pdf.
- Tendinopathy – Symptoms, Diagnosis and Treatment | BMJ Best Practice US. bestpractice.bmj.com/topics/en-gb/582.
- Buckley, Mark R et al. “Distributions of types I, II and III collagen by region in the human supraspinatus tendon.” Connective tissue research vol. 54,6 (2013): 374-9. doi:10.3109/03008207.2013.847096
- Praet, Stephan F E et al. “Oral Supplementation of Specific Collagen Peptides Combined with Calf-Strengthening Exercises Enhances Function and Reduces Pain in Achilles Tendinopathy Patients.” Nutrients vol. 11,1 76. 2 Jan. 2019, doi:10.3390/nu11010076
- Noriega-González, David C et al. “Effect of Vitamin C on Tendinopathy Recovery: A Scoping Review.” Nutrients vol. 14,13 2663. 27 Jun. 2022, doi:10.3390/nu14132663
- Buchalski, A.; Jeanfavre, M.; Altorelli, C.; Leff, G. Collagen Supplementation on Tendon-Related Structural and Performance Outcomes: A Systematic Review. J. Funct. Morphol. Kinesiol. 2026, 11, 130. https://doi.org/10.3390/jfmk11010130
