Omega-3s improve athletic performance
Sports Performance: Omega-3 Improve It!
Daily intake of fish oil supplements rich in EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) can improve, after only eight weeks, movement economy, that is, the energy required to maintain constant movement speed during physical exercise, reducing perceived effort and thus increasing endurance.
This is stated by a study conducted by researchers from the Universities of Tokyo, Toyama, and Josai (Japan) and published in the journal Bioscience, Biotechnology, and Biochemistry. The purpose of the research was to study the effects of EPA supplements on energy supply and movement economy during moderate-intensity aerobic exercise in untrained subjects.
Polyunsaturated fatty acids: a boon for heart and circulation
Numerous studies have shown that long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids induce changes in the lipid composition of red blood cell membranes, heart cells, and muscles, and that they can improve cardiac function. EPA and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) can also reduce blood viscosity, improving aerobic performance and increasing oxygen delivery to tissues, or reducing oxygen consumption by the heart without increasing cardiac workload.
A study on amateur athletes
The research group, led by Dr. Fuminori Kawabata, recruited 20 healthy men with an average age of 23 years who practiced sports at an amateur level. Half of them, randomly selected, received daily capsules containing 3.6 grams of fish oil rich in EPA for 8 weeks. The other group received the same amount of medium-chain fatty acids for the same period. Analyses at the end of the study showed that EPA and DHA levels in the red blood cell membranes of those who took Omega-3 from fish oil had significantly increased (148% increase in EPA and 13% in DHA), while no increase was observed in the control group. Data from stress electrocardiogram tests showed a negative correlation between EPA content in red blood cells and oxygen consumption during exercise, meaning a higher EPA content in erythrocytes was associated with lower oxygen consumption during muscular exercise tests.
EPA may be the key factor for improved performance
Results show that fish oil supplements rich in EPA reduce the energy needed for physical exercise and perceived effort in healthy subjects. Since there is a strong relationship between movement economy and endurance capacity, fish oil could, according to researchers, also improve the latter. Although the mechanisms are not yet fully understood and further studies are needed, EPA is believed to be the key factor in improving sports performance, and fish oil rich in EPA may also be used to enhance the benefits of physical rehabilitation.
Source: F. Kawabata, M. Neya, K. Hamazaki, Y. Watanabe, S. Kobayashi, T. Suji “Supplementation with eicosapentaenoic acid-rich fish oil improves exercise economy and reduces perceived exertion during submaximal steady-state exercise in normal healthy untrained men” Bioscience, Biotechnology, and Biochemistry. Published online ahead of print, doi: 10.1080/09168451.2014.946392
