Omega 3 and Sarcopenia: Can Fish Oil Treat or Prevent It?

The omega-3 in fish oil can slow down the normal decline of muscle mass and function in healthy elderly people. Taking supplements for 6 months was shown to increase muscle volume and strength by about 4%.

This is stated by a new study from Washington University School of Medicine in Saint Louis (USA), published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Sarcopenia: A Physiological Phenomenon of Aging

Muscle loss (or sarcopenia) is a natural aging process. Researchers estimate that after age 50, about 1-2% of muscle mass is lost each year. Muscle strength also declines with age, at a rate of about 1.5% per year from age 50, accelerating to 3% after age 60. Sarcopenia can impair motor skills, compromising mobility and balance in severe cases. It also increases the risk of falls and related fractures and significantly affects bone aging by promoting osteoporosis.

EPA and DHA Work Better Than Hormonal Treatments

Dr. Smith, who led the study, and his colleagues recruited 60 healthy elderly subjects aged 60 to 85. Each was randomly assigned daily supplements of omega-3: 1.86 grams of EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and 1.5 grams of DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), or a control substance (corn oil).

After 6 months of treatment, analyses on the 44 participants who completed the study showed that those taking EPA and DHA had, compared to the control group, a 3.6% increase in thigh muscle volume and a 2.3 kg increase in grip strength. Upper and lower muscle strength and average leg muscle power also increased. The researchers noted these results were lower than those from physical exercise but equal or greater than those from testosterone, growth hormone, or dehydroepiandrosterone therapy in older adults. The treatment was well tolerated with only mild side effects.

Omega-3 as a Future Therapy?

These data suggest that 6 months of Omega-3 treatment can delay the normal loss of muscle mass and function by 2 to 3 years due to aging, and demonstrate that omega-3s from fish oil could be considered as a potential therapy to slow, possibly prevent or treat sarcopenia. The exact mechanism is unclear, so further studies are needed to determine if long-term Omega-3 therapy can positively affect muscle mass.

Source: G.I. Smith, S. Julliand, D.N. Reeds, D.R. Sinacore, S. Klein, B. Mittendorfer. “Fish oil–derived n–3 PUFA therapy increases muscle mass and function in healthy older adults” American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Published online ahead of print, doi: 10.3945/ajcn.114.105833