Cross Training diet : The Ultimate Protein Supplement to Reduce Knee Pain

According to research, 20% of people suffer from one kind of knee pain or the other. This percentage may be higher within the weightlifting population. There are many causes of knee pain some of which include misalignment, osteoarthritis, and IT band issues among others. Irrespective of the cause, knee pain can seriously hinder your CrossFit workout gains. Apart from that, knee pain also causes problems in movement patterns because your body unconsciously starts avoiding hurting movements. This is what ultimately opens the door to more knee-related problems.

Collagen and Why It is Important

Collagen is one of the main building blocks of body tissues which include the knee. It also happens to be the most abundant protein type within your body system and can be found in hair, muscles, skin, and your knees.

Collagen is more or less like a scaffold which holds things together. Your body system generates its collagen, but you can also source it from outside from supplements and bone broth. The reason why collagen has not been a problem in the past is that our lifestyle consisted of eating connective tissues and bones of wild game as well as drinking bone broth.

If you do not have access or for some reason cannot slurp broth or gnaw bones, you can go for collagen supplements. Research again indicates that people who supplement with collagen such as collagen peptides experience a faster reduction in athletic-related knee pain.

You can get collagen peptides from health food stores or even in online stores and add it to your CrossFit diet plan. The recommended intake is about 20 grams per serving, and if you can have this once per day, then you will be sorted. The side effects of collagen supplementation in your CrossFit diet include thicker hair and nails and better digestion among others. Since collagen doesn’t easily melt, it is important to blend it with your protein shake or stir it in hot drinks. It is also advisable that you take it before bed. This is because it is loaded with amino acid known as glycine which can make you sleepy.

Since collagen is categorized as an incomplete protein, it doesn’t have all the necessary amino acids to give you the gains you need. This is why you should not count it as part of your daily protein goals in your CrossFit training.

There you go! If you can’t handle the knee pain anymore, think about this protein supplement, and your struggles could be over.