How Omega-3s Can Benefit Your Workout Performance
Omega-3 fatty acids benefit your health in many ways. While you might initially associate Omega-3s with brain and heart health, research also suggests they can boost your workout performance and aid recovery.
Unfortunately, the intake of omega-3 fatty acids was found to be lower than the European Food Safety Agency (EFSA) minimum recommendation of 250 mg of EPA and DHA across all populations in 74% of European Union EU countries.
Increasing your omega-3 intake provides more than just a boost to your workout routine: it’s vital to your health! In this post, we’ll talk more about what omega-3s are, how they can help you, and how to get more of them in your diet.
What are Omega-3 Fatty Acids?
Omega-3 fatty acids are a type of polyunsaturated fatty acid that includes alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Polyunsaturated fatty acids are the long-chain, healthier types of fat.
EPA and DHA are found in fish oils and marine algae, and ALA is found in plant sources like oils and seeds.
ALA is a precursor to EPA and DHA. The body can convert some ALA to EPA, but the process is inefficient. So, it's best to include a direct source of EPA and DHA in your diet, either through food or supplements.
DHA is known to play a critical role in developing the brain and nervous system, which is why most infant formulas are enriched with DHA.
The body can't make omega-3 fatty acids, so they must be obtained through the diet which makes them "essential". Omega-3s are incorporated into the cell membranes of all tissues and have a diverse impact on the body.
Some of the proposed general health benefits of omega-3 fatty acids include:
Anti-inflammatory effects
Reduced risk of heart attack and cardiovascular disease
Fetal growth and neurodevelopment
Cognitive function
Improving symptoms of depression
More research is needed, but some findings indicate that omega-3s could also help improve symptoms associated with Dry Eye disease, Rheumatoid Arthritis, ADHD, childhood allergies, and cystic fibrosis.
3 ways that Omega-3s benefit your workouts
There is evidence that omega-3 supplementation can reduce muscle soreness, overall inflammation, risk of illness and aid recovery. Additionally, omega-3s may improve strength and endurance performance.
Let's talk a little more about why this may be the case. But before we dive in, just remember that the results of these studies cover a variety of ages, genders, doses, and athletic statuses.
Recovery
Your body experiences oxidative stress during exercise and strenuous activity. Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) is a common side effect of intense workouts. It is caused by micro-trauma to the muscle fibers and can result in discomfort, reduced range of motion, and weakness.
Omega-3s have anti-inflammatory properties that may help reduce the amount of oxidative stress experienced during and after intense workouts.
One placebo-controlled study on rugby players found that adding 1546 mg of omega-3 (551 mg EPA and 551 mg DHA) twice daily to a protein-based supplement helped improve symptoms of DOMS. The study also found this translated into better maintenance of explosive power in pre-season training.
Another double-blind placebo-controlled study found that adding a fish oil supplement containing 550 mg DHA and 550 mg EPA to a protein beverage helped soccer players experience less muscle soreness following eccentric exercise.
Performance
Researchers have proposed that omega-3 fatty acids act as a vasodilator, which increases the flow of oxygen to muscles. In addition, omega-3 supplementation may improve muscle activation in strength and power exercises.
A meta-analysis on omega-3 fatty acids for sports performance cites studies that show:
explosive power, fatigue, and muscle soreness improved in athletes consuming 1.1 g of EPA and 1.1 g DHA over 5 weeks
a study with trained males showed that squat jump performance improved after a single acute supplementation with 0.75 g EPA and 0.05 g DHA
a study in amateurs that administered EPA and DHA doses of 0.6 g and 0.3 over 8 weeks led to a significant increased VO2max
amateur athletes who received 0.8 g EPA and 2.4 g DHA over 8 weeks showed significantly lower heart rates during incremental workload up to exhaustion, lowered steady-state submaximal exercise heart rates, and increased whole-body O2 consumption
Other research has shown mixed results for how omega-3 supplements impact athletic performance. Results appear to be more pronounced in amateur athletes and the general population than professional athletes who have already adapted to high levels of training.
Physique
Omega-3 fatty acid supplements may also help improve your physique by both building muscle and burning fat.
In a double-blind study, 44 women and men were given a daily fish oil supplement or placebo with safflower oil. The fish oil supplements contained 1600 mg EPA and 800 mg DHA.
After six weeks, the fish oil group significantly decreased fat mass and increased muscle mass.
Fish oil supplements have also been shown to increase muscle mass and function in older adults. This is important from a health and strength standpoint as people age.
How Can You Get More Omega-3s in Your Diet?
So how much omega-3 do you need? According to the National Institutes of Health, Adequate Intakes of omega-3 fatty acids for adults are:
1.6 g/day for men
1.1 g/day for women
1.4 g/day for pregnant women
1.3 g/day for lactating women
The FDA and European Food Safety Authority recommend no more than 5 g/day of EPA/DHA omega-3 supplementation to avoid negative side effects such as reduced immune function, increased bleeding time, and potential interactions with medications.
There are a few ways to get more omega-3s in your diet. For more DHA and EPA you can eat fatty fish at least twice a week. This includes fish such as
salmon
mackerel
tuna
herring
anchovies
Sardines
DHA fortified foods like milk, orange juice, etc.
If you don't eat seafood, you can try taking an omega-3 supplement or including plant-based sources of omega-3s in your diet. Some good plant-based sources of omega-3s include
flaxseed
flaxseed oil
chia seeds
walnuts
hemp hearts
soybeans
canola oil
What Should You Look for in an Omega-3 Supplement?
Although consuming omega-3s directly through food is ideal, for some, it can be challenging to eat a minimum of two servings of fatty fish every week.
If that's true for you, you may want to consider taking an omega-3 supplement to meet your body's needs. Not all supplements are created equal, so be sure to look for one that meets the following criteria:
Contains a combination of EPA and DHA
Wild-caught or sustainably sourced fish or algae
Non-GMO
Free of mercury, heavy metals, and other contaminants
Third-party tested and produced in CGMAP facility
Fish get omega-3s from the algae and marine plankton they consume. So, you can get your omega-3s from fish oil or go directly to the source and take an omega-3 made supplement made from algal oil.
This is the best option for vegans, and our friends at both Amandean and Performance Lab have excellent Vegan Omega-3 supplement options. Both sustainably sourced algal oil has high bioavailability and includes DHA and EPA.
Read our full review of Performance Lab Omega 3
Resources
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7760705/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2174995/
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/17461391.2018.1491626?src=recsys
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28871832/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7760705/
https://jissn.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1550-2783-7-31
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25994567/
https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Omega3FattyAcids-HealthProfessional/
Disclaimer
The content on our blog is created to inform, but should never be taken as professional medical advice. The content of our articles is not intended for use as prevention, diagnosis and/or treatment of any health complications. Before making any lifestyle changes that include diet, using supplements or exercise regime, always consult your doctor or nearest health care specialist.
