Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Some attention has been given to the potential benefits of omega-3 fatty acids for athletic performance. According to Bucci,33 these potential benefits include the following:

• Improved delivery of oxygen and nutrients to muscles and other tissues because of reduced blood viscosity
• Improved aerobic metabolism because of enhanced delivery of oxygen to cells
• Improved release of somatotropin (growth hormone) in response to normal stimuli, such as exercise, sleep, and hunger, which may have an anabolic effect or improve postexercise recovery time
• Reduction of inflammation caused by muscular fatigue and overexertion, which may improve postexercise recovery time
• Possible prevention of tissue inflammation

In general, studies evaluating the effectiveness of omega-3 fatty acids do not show consistent improvements in strength and endurance, nor is there consistent evidence that omega-3 fatty acids reduce muscle soreness. The major impact of omega-3 fatty acid consumption appears to be a possible enhancement of aerobic metabolic processes, which is an important factor in both athletic performance and in an individual's ability to effectively burn fat as an energy substrate. This should not suggest that an increase in total fat consumption is either desirable or necessary to obtain these benefits. On the contrary, higher fat intakes are typically associated with reduced athletic performance. However, athletes might consider altering the types of fats consumed by including periodic but regular (once or twice weekly) 4-to 5-ounce (110 to 140 gram) servings of salmon, albacore tuna, Atlantic herring, and other cold-water fish in their diets to increase the proportion of omega-3 fatty acids available to them.