Joint Supplements for Triathletes: What to Look For After 35

TL;DR: The best joint supplements for triathletes list every ingredient with a dose, fit into one scoop, and get taken every day through the whole season, not just in race week. Look for collagen peptides with vitamin C, plus glucosamine, chondroitin and MSM, check the allergens, and judge it on 8 to 12 weeks of daily use alongside strength work. Complete Joint Care puts all of them in one 5 g serve.

Triathletes are good at spending money.

Wheels. A wetsuit. A watch that knows more about you than your GP.

Then a knee or an Achilles starts talking, and the spending moves to the supplement aisle.

Three tubs later, you still don't know what is doing what.

Let's simplify it.

Why joints matter more in triathlon

You are not loading one joint pattern. You are loading three.

• Swimming: thousands of shoulder rotations a week.
• Cycling: hours of repetitive knee bend in a fixed position.
• Running: impact through the knee, ankle and Achilles, often on tired legs.

A 2022 systematic review of long-distance triathletes found overuse injuries were the most common type, with the knee and lower back the most frequent sites.

Your action: know which of the three disciplines leaves you stiffest. That tells you where to focus your strength work.

For other sports, see joint supplements for athletes.

Collagen for triathletes

Collagen is the main structural protein in tendons, ligaments and cartilage.

Hydrolysed collagen peptides are collagen broken into small pieces so they dissolve in water.

Timing has been studied too. A 2017 study gave athletes gelatin with vitamin C before short bouts of activity and measured higher markers of collagen production. That is why collagen and vitamin C belong in the same scoop, and why the habit should be daily.

Your action: if you only buy one joint product, make sure collagen peptides and vitamin C are both in it.

Glucosamine, chondroitin and MSM

• Glucosamine is found naturally in cartilage. It usually comes from shellfish.
• Chondroitin is also found in cartilage. It often comes from shark cartilage.
• MSM (methylsulphonylmethane) is a source of sulphur.

If you avoid seafood, read the allergen line before anything else.

Your action: check the dose per serve. Skip anything that hides it in a "proprietary blend".

Our pick: Complete Joint Care

We recommend Complete Joint Care, a joint supplement for triathletes who want one scoop instead of four tubs.

Complete Joint Care is a comprehensive blend of collagen peptides, minerals and traditionally used botanicals formulated to support joint mobility, flexibility and connective tissue health.

• 2,550 mg hydrolysed bovine collagen peptides per serve
• 750 mg glucosamine sulphate and 200 mg chondroitin sulphate
• 750 mg MSM
• Turmeric extract (95% curcuminoids) with black pepper
• Vitamin C, zinc, vitamin D3, magnesium and bamboo extract
• Lemon flavoured, 40 serves a jar, dairy free, non GMO

Each 5 g serve provides 40 mg of vitamin C, which contributes to normal collagen formation for the normal structure of cartilage and bones. It also provides zinc, which contributes to the maintenance of normal bones.

It contains shellfish and shark.

Your action: mix one heaped teaspoon (5 g) into water or juice daily, and set a reminder for 10 weeks from today.

When to take it in a training week

Any time you will remember, every day, including rest days and taper.

The easiest habit is to tie it to the bottle you fill before a morning session. It mixes into water and goes wherever your bottle goes.

Joint nutrition sits alongside strength work, not instead of it. Start with strength training for triathletes over 40, and see the bigger picture in triathlon over 40.

Your action: keep the tub next to your bidons.

If you are on medication, carrying an injury or have a medical condition, speak with your healthcare provider before starting any new supplement.

Grant Jenkins is an ESSA Accredited Exercise Physiologist and high-performance athletic development coach with almost 30 years of coaching behind him, including national academy and professional athletes. He is a co-founder of Propel Health Australia.

References

1. Rhind JH, Dass D, Barnett A, Carmont M. A Systematic Review of Long-Distance Triathlon Musculoskeletal Injuries. Journal of Human Kinetics. 2022;81:123-134. doi:10.2478/hukin-2022-0011
2. Shaw G, Lee-Barthel A, Ross ML, Wang B, Baar K. Am J Clin Nutr. 2017;105(1):136-143.