Bovine Collagen Peptide Improves Hypoxia Tolerance and Anti-Fatigue Capacity in Hypobaric Hypoxic Environments: A Combined Animal and Human Study

Peptides are recognized in functional foods for their biological activities. This study investigated the amino acid composition, physicochemical properties, in vitro antioxidant activity, and physiological effects in vivo of bovine collagen peptide (BCP) under hypoxic conditions. Amino acid analysis showed glycine, proline, and glutamic acid as the predominant components. Dynamic light scattering characterized its particle size distribution, while fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) confirmed its peptide structure. In vitro assays demonstrated significant antioxidant activity of BCP. A two-stage approach was used to examine BCP's effects on hypoxia tolerance and fatigue reduction under hypobaric hypoxic (HH) conditions. In the first stage, mice were given BCP for 5 days and tested using the rotarod assay at a simulated altitude of 4000 m. The BCP group exhibited an 8-fold increase in rotarod time compared to the control group (p < 0.05), indicating improved hypoxia tolerance and anti-fatigue capacity. In a human trial at a simulated altitude of 3600 m, 5 days of BCP supplementation led to a 4.7% increase in resting SpO₂ (p < 0.05) and a 15.45% decrease in heart rate (HR) (p < 0.05). Submaximal exercise test revealed a 61.54% improvement in hypoxia tolerance (p < 0.05) and a twofold increase in anti-fatigue capacity (p < 0.001). This study provides both animal and human evidence supporting the benefits of BCP in HH conditions, suggesting its potential as a functional ingredient for athletes, fitness enthusiasts, and high-altitude travelers.