“On this context, omega-3 may very well be a post-exercise restoration agent and sports activities complement that would enhance efficiency by preserving and selling skeletal muscle mass and energy,” wrote Diego Fernández-Lázaro, researcher on the College of Valladolid, Spain, and colleagues.
“No conclusive proof, nonetheless, exists concerning the potential results of omega-3 on post-exercise biomarkers and sports activities efficiency in bodily wholesome adults.”
Omega-3 in train
Exhausting train results in oxidative stress within the muscle tissues, the place substances known as reactive oxygen species (ROS) harm the cell equipment. In significantly demanding routines, this stress can surpass the flexibility of muscle tissues’ antioxidants to regulate the ROS, resulting in irritation and additional harm to the muscle tissues, the investigators famous.
Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, present in meals sources together with walnuts and oily fish, play a job in controlling irritation. Earlier research counsel they will profit athletes by bettering muscle mass and energy and rushing up restoration.
Conflicting outcomes
To shed extra mild on the difficulty, Fernández-Lázaro et al. reviewed 13 research on omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid supplementation, with eligible investigations together with randomized managed trials enrolling wholesome adults, offering clear dosing data and measuring irritation markers, muscle harm, oxidant response and sports activities efficiency as outcomes.
The research included a complete of 420 individuals, seven research centered on males, one on ladies and 5 on each women and men. Individuals within the remedy group obtained omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in capsules, gels or flavored water with chia seed, with doses starting from 250 mg/day to three.6 g/day. The remedy lasted between someday and 26 weeks, and train exams included endurance workouts, energy workouts and a mixture of the 2.
Primarily based on their evaluation of the research, Fernández-Lázaro and colleagues famous that supplementation of two,400 mg/day of omega-3 fatty acids for 4.5 weeks seems to be an efficient dose, significantly with eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).
They noticed that omega-3 supplementation may scale back the inflammatory response because it decreased ranges of a pro-inflammatory cytokine known as interleukin-6 (IL-6). Nonetheless, not all research reported related outcomes, and there was disagreement on the impact of omega-3 supplementation on the degrees of different markers of irritation equivalent to tumor necrosis factor-α and C-reactive protein.
Some research reported that omega-3 supplementation additionally decreased exercise-induced muscle harm with reductions in muscle biomarkers creatine kinase and lactate dehydrogenase together with a rise within the ratio of lowered glutathione to oxidized glutathione—an indicator of intracellular well being. Different markers, in the meantime, confirmed extra conflicting outcomes, together with creatine kinase and delayed onset muscle soreness.
“Whereas these findings show promise for omega-3 supplementation and muscle restoration, the outlook for its impression on bettering athletic efficiency is much less encouraging,” the researchers wrote. “Restricted research have been accessible, and the consensus amongst them suggests little to no proof supporting the notion that omega-3 supplementation gives any discernible advantages in enhancing athletic efficiency.”
Excessive particular person variation
Commenting independently on the findings, Jabe Brown, founding father of the well being clinic Melbourne Practical Medication, advised NutraIngredients that the research “strengthens our understanding of the potential advantages of omega-3s in train restoration, significantly in lowering markers of muscle harm and irritation. The evaluate additionally highlights the variability in dosing and length of supplementation throughout research, which is a essential data for practitioners when designing remedy plans.”
It may be arduous to foretell how efficient dietary supplements are because of particular person variation in physique sorts, exercise ranges and interactions with different dietary supplements or medicines, he stated, including that “there’s the necessity to stability the useful results of irritation for adaptation with the need of selling restoration, making it a fragile course of.”
“Many present research have small cohorts, resulting in elevated variability and restricted statistical energy,” he added. “Additionally, whereas short-term research present insights into instant results, the impression of extended supplementation on total well being, efficiency and restoration must be explored.”
Supply: Vitamins 2024, 16(13), 2044
“Omega-3 Fatty Acid Supplementation on Submit-Train Irritation, Muscle Injury, Oxidative Response, and Sports activities Efficiency in Bodily Wholesome Adults—A Systematic Evaluation of Randomized Managed Trials”
doi: 10.3390/nu16132044
Authors: Diego Fernández-Lázaro et al
