Omega 3 and sport: the possible benefits in sports

by Equipe Enervit

 

An exciting line of research was recently initiated to verify the effects of omega-3 on physical performance. Here’s the ongoing research.

It’s now clear that some of the important benefits of omega-3 have been demonstrated in the general population, such as maintaining healthy brain function, which may also be of interest to the athlete. Thus, recently, a fascinating line of research was initiated to verify whether there are specific effects of omega-3 on physical performance.

Omega-3 and sport: ongoing research

For example, a Canadian research group is investigating the effects of omega-3 intake on reducing muscle fatigue. Japanese researchers are working on the effects of EPA and DHA on exercise economy, i.e., the decrease in oxygen consumption at a given exercise intensity. While Polish researchers are working to see if there is an interaction between omega-3 intake and nitric oxide production, with a consequent effect on the so-called FMD, a parameter that measures the "elasticity" of blood vessels.
Although these various researches are in their infancy and are awaiting definitive answers, they have attracted the attention of many specialists in the field.

 

Bibliography
 - Lewis E.J. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2015 Jun 18;12:28.
 - Kawabata F. Biosci Biotechnol Biochem. 2014;78(12):2081-8.
 - Żebrowska A. Eur J Sport Sci. 2015;15(4):305-14.