References & Sources for this Article

Benefits of omega-3 rich foods in sports

Lipids, or fats, are essential substances for human health. Lipids comprise a diverse group of molecules characterized by their insolubility in water. Different types are found in the body as adipose tissue and in foods as oils and solid fats. In sports nutrition, adequate consumption of foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids and/or their supplementation is becoming increasingly important to improve performance and post-exercise recovery.

What are fatty acids?

95% of the fats we ingest are in the form of triglycerides and are stored in the body as triacylglycerols: a compound of 3 fatty acids attached to a 3-carbon glycerol. These fatty acids can be classified according to their chain length, commercial form, and saturation level.

Chain length

The digestion, transport, and metabolism of shorter chain fatty acids (less than 6 carbon atoms) and medium chain fatty acids (between 6 and 12 carbon atoms) are faster than those of longer chain fatty acids (14 carbons or more), while the latter are the most abundant in nature. These longer chains correspond to omega-3 fatty acids, which are abundant in nature, hence the importance of their consumption.

Saturation level

They can vary depending on the types of bonds:

Saturated Fatty Acids (SFAs), if the fatty acid has no atoms joined by a double bond at any point in the chain. We can find them in coconut oil, palm oil, butter, cream, cheese, whole milk, and beef fat.
Monounsaturated Fatty Acids (MUFAs), if within the carbon atom chain, two are joined by a double bond. They are usually liquid at room temperature and can be found in olive oil, rapeseed oil, peanut oil, and cashews.
Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids (PUFAs), if the fat molecules have more than one double bond. They are also liquid at room temperature and can be found in cottonseed, rapeseed, corn, sunflower, and safflower seed oils.

Why Omega 3?

Omega-3s are essential fatty acids (EFAs), a type of polyunsaturated fat that our body cannot synthesize and therefore must always be present in our diet. The main ones are alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). They provide many benefits to human health, as they play an important role in preventing cardiovascular diseases, colon cancer, immunological diseases, among others. Furthermore, the latter two (EPA AND DHA) are more relevant in sports due to their anti-inflammatory and pain-inhibiting properties, improving oxidative response and vasodilation. Additionally, they regulate blood sugar levels, optimizing strength and aerobic performance, which is why it is important for an athlete's diet to include an adequate consumption of foods rich in fatty acids.

The importance of Omega 3 for athletes

Exercise-induced muscle damage (EIMD) occurs particularly after unaccustomed and/or intense resistance exercise, thereby causing an inflammatory response associated with post-exercise muscle soreness, difficulty of movement, increased fatigue, among others. Therefore, using strategies with foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids and/or supplementation that attenuate acute inflammation can help moderate muscle damage after intense exercise or in specific muscle injuries.

EPA and DHA are found in high amounts in fatty fish, seafood, and in smaller amounts in some algae. ALA, on the other hand, is found in very small amounts in both meat and vegetable products, and in high amounts in soy, walnuts, canola oil, flaxseed oil, hemp, and chia, thus being the only option for vegans/vegetarians for foods rich in omega-3.

With omega-3 supplementation (DHA/EPA), the recovery period is shorter, as it improves muscle atrophy or damage during immobilization and attenuates immobilization signals, promoting protein synthesis and decreasing post-injury sarcopenia. Furthermore, a recent systematic review showed that omega-3 supplementation also improved cognitive function (memory, concentration, mental clarity, and reaction time) and favored skeletal muscle recovery by attenuating pro-inflammatory cellular responses.

The intake of these three polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) is very important for sports nutrition, especially in high-performance athletes. Not consuming foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids adequately and regularly can be a problem in the diet for both vegetarians/vegans and omnivores.

What Omega 3 supplements can we take?

At Weider, we have 2 options:

Animal-derived Omega-3 with a content of 1000 mg of fish oil and reinforced with vitamin E in softgel pill format.

Plant-derived Omega-3 in gummies format, gluten-free, with chia and flaxseed as main ingredients. These latter compounds contain Omega 3 and are complemented with omegas 6 and 9.

As we can see, there are currently numerous sources of commonly consumed foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Their formulation is an important point, and these foods are increasingly available. Additionally, omega-3 concentrates offer the advantages of a high concentration of these compounds and a low concentration of cholesterol and saturated fat.

Conclusion:

Finally, regular exercise with a balanced and adequate diet may not require an omega-3 supplement, as foods can provide the necessary intake of ALA, EPA, and DHA. However, in cases of high energy and muscle demand sports (high-performance athletes) or inability to maintain the diet 100%, it is necessary to evaluate whether omega-3 consumption is sufficient.

References

Visconti LM, Cotter JA, Schick EE, Daniels N, Viray FE, Purcell CA, Brotman CBR, Ruhman KE, Escobar KA. Impact of varying doses of omega-3 supplementation on muscle damage and recovery after eccentric resistance exercise. Metabol Open. 2021 Oct 3;12:100133. doi: 10.1016/j.metop.2021.100133. PMID: 34693240; PMCID: PMC8515381.

Jouris KB, McDaniel JL, Weiss EP. The Effect of Omega-3 Fatty Acid Supplementation on the Inflammatory Response to eccentric strength exercise. J Sports Sci Med. 2011 Sep 1;10(3):432-8. PMID: 24150614; PMCID: PMC3737804.

Tomczyk M, Jost Z, Chroboczek M, Urbański R, Calder PC, Fisk HL, Sprengel M, Antosiewicz J. Effects of 12 Wk of Omega-3 Fatty Acid Supplementation in Long-Distance Runners. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2023 Feb 1;55(2):216-224. doi: 10.1249/MSS.0000000000003038. Epub 2022 Sep 27. PMID: 36161864; PMCID: PMC9815816.

Lewis NA, Daniels D, Calder PC, Castell LM, Pedlar CR. Are There Benefits from the Use of Fish Oil Supplements in Athletes? A Systematic Review. Adv Nutr. 2020 Sep 1;11(5):1300-1314. doi: 10.1093/advances/nmaa050. PMID: 32383739; PMCID: PMC7490155.

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