WTF!!! I'm from Kerala too.
.. Ah yes, the food. The original spice capital of the world.
About 10g of collagen, that could be the issue. I have been taking near 30grams, but also type of training is crucial too. Oh yes, I love cialis and NO. Thank you. I'll try putting my AI-crafted recommendation below. I'm using the BPC/TB 500 with this type of training.
Yes. The best evidence says collagen can help tendon remodeling, but only modestly and only when paired with the right loading stimulus . A true pooled meta-analysis is difficult because the studies use different tendons, doses, training styles, and outcomes; even the 2026 systematic review chose narrative synthesis for this reason. ( MDPI )
Best-supported practical conclusion
For tendon growth/CSA :
5–15 g/day collagen peptides + progressive heavy resistance training for 12–15 weeks has the strongest signal.
For tendon stiffness/material quality :
15–30 g hydrolyzed collagen or collagen peptides + vitamin C, timed ~60 minutes before tendon-loading exercise , looks more promising than low-dose collagen. The 2026 review found higher-dose studies, especially 30 g with vitamin C, were more likely to improve stiffness/Young’s modulus, while ~5 g often improved tendon size but not stiffness. ( MDPI )
What the studies collectively suggest
Goal Best evidence-supported approach Tendon CSA/growth Progressive resistance training, 3×/week, 12–15 weeks Tendon stiffness High-load resistance, likely ≥70% 1RM, possibly eccentric-biased Collagen dose 15 g/day is the practical minimum target; 30 g may be better for stiffness Timing ~60 minutes before loading is biologically most logical Add vitamin C Yes, at least 50 mg; many studies used 50–500 mg Training alone Works; collagen is an adjunct, not the main driver Muscle strength Collagen usually does not add strength beyond training
Study-by-study pattern
The Jerger Achilles tendon trial used 5 g collagen peptides daily with 14 weeks of high-load resistance training . Achilles tendon CSA increased more with collagen than placebo, about +11.0% vs +4.7% , but stiffness and strength improved similarly in both groups. ( Universität Wien )
The Balshaw patellar tendon study used 15 g collagen peptides daily with 15 weeks of lower-body resistance training , but found no extra benefit over placebo for tendon size or mechanical properties, though both groups improved tendon stiffness and Young’s modulus from training. ( SHURA )
The Lee female soccer study used 30 g collagen hydrolysate + 500 mg vitamin C around training and found improved patellar tendon stiffness/Young’s modulus but not CSA. The 2026 review notes that the lack of CSA effect may be because elite soccer players already had high habitual tendon loading. ( MDPI )
The Nulty study appears especially important because it used 30 g collagen hydrolysate + vitamin C with lower-body resistance training and reported increases in patellar tendon CSA, stiffness, and Young’s modulus . ( MDPI )
The 2024 Sports Medicine meta-analysis found a significant pooled effect for tendon morphology with collagen peptide supplementation, but not for tendon mechanical properties overall; it rated certainty for tendon outcomes as very low because of heterogeneity and small samples. ( Springer )
Best training style for tendon adaptation
The winning pattern is not bodybuilding-style high-rep pump work. Tendons respond best to high mechanical strain .
A practical tendon-strength protocol would look like:
3 days/week, 12–16 weeks
Use slow, controlled heavy loading for the target tendon:
For patellar tendon:
Leg press
Squat or hack squat
Knee extension
Spanish squat or heavy isometric holds
For Achilles tendon:
Standing calf raise
Seated calf raise
Heavy eccentric calf lowers
Isometric calf holds
Use approximately:
3–5 sets
6–10 reps
70–85% 1RM
Slow tempo, especially controlled eccentric
Progress load over time
The review’s included protocols commonly used 3 sessions/week and intensities around 70–85% 1RM , with examples including knee extension, calf raise, leg press, squats, deadlifts, and progressive lower-body resistance training. ( MDPI )
Best collagen protocol
Most evidence-informed version:
15–30 g collagen peptides or hydrolyzed collagen
+ 50–500 mg vitamin C
~60 minutes before tendon-loading training
3–7 days/week for at least 12 weeks
Why timing matters: collagen amino acids such as glycine, proline, and hydroxyproline peak roughly around an hour after ingestion, and vitamin C supports collagen cross-linking chemistry. ( MDPI )
My verdict
For tendon remodeling, the best-supported stack is:
Heavy, progressive tendon-specific resistance training + 15–30 g collagen + vitamin C taken about 1 hour before training.
For tendon size , 5–15 g may be enough.
For tendon stiffness/quality , I would favor 15–30 g , with 30 g looking most promising but not yet definitively proven.
The most important variable is still loading . Collagen without proper tendon strain is unlikely to do much.
I was back to work for half-days after two weeks, and worked back up to full days over about three weeks. I have a desk job though, so that wasn't too much of an issue. I also did some stuff remotely while I was still early because otherwise I'd have lost my mind. And I can't handle people trying to fill in for me because despite giving them instructions, they still do it wrong, instead of calling and asking for help.
I'm on concrete 6-7 hours a day, 1/2 that standing in one place and walking the other half. It's like doing Origami 25-30 hours a week, hunched over a 4ft cart. Not doing my neck or back any flavors. I wish I had desk job (I'm not that smart) but I know being on my feet helps keep the weight off. I'm lucky I punch a time clock, I don't have to worry about anything till I get back to 12 weeks of emails 
