Omega-3s improve sports performance
Sports performance: omega-3s improve it!
Daily intake of EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid)-rich fish oil (eicosapentaenoic acid) supplements can improve, after as little as eight weeks, the economy of movement, that is, the energy required to maintain a constant speed of movement during exercise, reducing perceived exertion and thus increasing endurance.
This is according to a study conducted by researchers at the Universities of Tokyo, Toyama, and Josai (Japan) and published in the journal Bioscience, Biotechnology, and Biochemistry . The purpose of the research was to study the effects of EPA supplements on energy supply and exercise economy during moderate-intensity aerobic exercise in untrained subjects.
Polyunsaturated fatty acids: a panacea for heart and circulation
Numerous studies have shown that long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids induce changes in the lipid composition of the membranes of red blood cells, heart cells, and muscles, and are able to improve cardiac function. EPA and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) can also reduce blood viscosity, improving aerobic performance and increasing oxygen delivery to tissues, or reducing oxygen consumption by the heart without increasing cardiac work.
A study of non-professional athletes
The research team, led by Dr. Fuminori Kawabata, recruited 20 healthy men with an average age of 23 years who played sports at an amateur level. One group of them, chosen randomly, received capsules containing 3.6 grams of EPA-rich fish oil every day for 8 weeks. In contrast, the other group of subjects received the same amount of medium-chain fatty acids for the same period. Analysis at the end of the stipulated period showed that the levels of EPA and DHA in the red blood cell membranes of those who had taken Omega Three with fish oil had increased significantly (by 148 percent EPA and 13 percent DHA), while no increase was observed in the control group. Data from exercise electrocardiogram tests showed a negative correlation between EPA content in red blood cells and oxygen consumption during exercise, i.e., higher EPA content in erythrocytes was associated with lower oxygen consumption during muscle exercise tests.
EPA may be the key factor in better performance
The results show that EPA-rich fish oil supplements reduce the energy required for exercise and perceived exertion in healthy subjects. Since there is a strong relationship between 'exercise economy and endurance capacity, fish oil could also improve the latter, according to the researchers. Although the mechanisms have not yet been fully elucidated and further studies are needed, it is presumed that EPA is the key factor in improving sports performance, and EPA-rich fish oil could also be used to enhance the benefits of physical rehabilitation.
Source: F. Kawabata, M. Neya, K. Hamazaki, Y. Watanabe, S. Kobayashi, T. suji "Supplementation with eicosapentaenoic acid-rich fish oil improves exercise economy and reduces perceived exertion during submaximal steady-state exercise in normal healthy untrained men" Bioscience, Biotechnology, and Biochemistry . Published online ahead of print, doi: 10.1080/09168451.2014.946392
