The positive effect of taking omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid supplements in combination with exercise and sports

Omega-3 supplementation has been a topic of interest in the world of sports for some time.

Omega-3 fatty acids are essential nutrients that play a key role in maintaining overall health. They have anti-inflammatory properties, which can be beneficial for athletes engaged in high-intensity training, as well as for amateurs and older people.

AUTHOR: Daria Šurić, M.pharm.

Omega-3 unsaturated fatty acid supplementation has been a topic of interest in the world of sports for some time. Research has shown that omega-3 fatty acid supplementation can improve athletic performance and aid in recovery. It has been found to increase blood flow to muscles during exercise, which can help reduce muscle pain and fatigue. It has also been shown to improve lung function, which can be beneficial for athletes engaged in endurance training.

In addition to improving performance, omega-3 fatty acids also have a positive effect on overall health. They have been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease, lower blood pressure, and improve brain function.

The choice of diet and consumption of nutrients through dietary supplements significantly affect body composition and metabolism. Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids have been attracting attention in this field for some time. Omega-3 is the name for a group of essential fatty acids that have their first double bond at the third carbon atom from the methyl end of the hydrocarbon chain. They are essential fatty acids that the body cannot synthesize on its own, so we must obtain them through food or dietary supplements. They are responsible for numerous cellular functions such as signaling, cell membrane fluidity, preservation of cell structure, and energy production. They also participate in the regulation of the nervous system, blood pressure, blood coagulation, glucose tolerance, and inflammatory processes.

Animal models and cell-based models show that omega-3 fatty acids can affect skeletal muscle metabolism. Furthermore, recent human studies show that they can affect not only training performance and metabolic response of skeletal muscles but also functional response during exercise periods. In addition, their potential anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects can provide support for health and improve performance, especially in individuals who practice physical activity, as exercise increases the production of reactive oxygen species that act prooxidatively1

Omega-3 fatty acids are found in food, mostly in marine-derived foods such as fish, fish oil, algae, and some plant oils (e.g., flaxseed oil). The most important are eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), and alpha-linolenic acid (ALA).

In a review article entitled ‘Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids: Benefits and Endpoints in Sport’, their importance in human nutrition is highlighted, with an emphasis on the potential health effects of their supplementation in athletes1

There is growing interest in finding effective nutrients and dietary supplements that can improve sports performance and recovery. Athletes often use dietary supplements to increase metabolic capacity, delay the onset of fatigue, improve muscle hypertrophy, and shorten recovery periods. In addition, they often face a decrease in immune function due to intense exercise and frequent challenging competitions, increasing their susceptibility to upper respiratory tract infections. Moreover, exercise training represents physiological stress for the body, requiring a coordinated response from the cardiovascular, pulmonary, and nervous systems to increase blood flow and oxygen supply to working skeletal muscles. At rest, muscles receive approximately 20% of total blood flow, but during exercise, this can increase to over 80%1.

The conclusion of the review was that dietary strategies and the use of dietary supplements containing omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids can result in optimal training outcomes, improved recovery, reduced risk of illness, and high-level competitive performance. In addition, it was demonstrated that they could affect the mood and emotional states of athletes. This supports the view that DHA may improve performance in sports where perceptual-motor activity and decision-making are the key to success. Increasing omega-3 intake has the potential to be an ergogenic aid that enhances training and sport performance, at a low cost and with little risk1

Ergogenic aids may help prepare an individual for exercise, improve exercise efficiency, improve recovery after exercise, or help prevent injuries during intense training. In this regard, omega-3 has been recently considered as an ergogenic dietary supplement that could play a role in these processes which not only contrast exercise-induced inflammation but also improve the health of muscle and its energy availability2

Human beings evolved by consuming food that contained approximately equal amounts of omega-6 and omega-3 essential fatty acids. Today, in Western diets, the ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 ranges from approximately 10:1 to 20:1 instead of the traditional range of 1:1 to 2:1. Studies show that high intake of omega-6 fatty acids shifts the physiological balance to a prothrombotic and proaggregatory state, characterized by increased blood viscosity, vasospasm and vasoconstriction, and decreased bleeding time. Omega-3 fatty acids, on the other hand, have anti-inflammatory, antithrombotic, antiarrhythmic, hypolipidemic and vasodilatory properties.

Excessive production of free radicals and tissue trauma during high-intensity exercise leads to an inflammatory state that is made worse by the presence of increased amounts of omega-6 fatty acids