Sports: omega-3s boost physical performance of cyclists
Cycling: omega-3s boost athletes' performance
In professional cyclists, taking omega-3-containing supplements appears to increase nitric oxide concentrations by about 8 micromoles per liter of blood, increasing blood flow and thus enhancing athletes' physical performance.
This is reported in a new study conducted by scientists from the Academy of Physical Education in Katowice and the University of Silesia (Poland). The research findings were published in the European Journal of Sport Science.
Omega-3 and sports
The link between omega-3s and sports performance is not new: some recent research has suggested that EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) may improve muscle health and promote athletic performance.
Last year, researchers from the Universities of Tokyo, Toyama, and Josai (Japan) published a study in the journal Bioscience, Biotechnology and Biochemistry showing that daily intake of EPA-rich fish oil was able to increase exercise economy, an important parameter for assessing exercise endurance, thereby reducing exertion. In that case, a daily fish oil dose of 3.6 grams was administered for eight weeks and was found to be associated with an increase in EPA and DHA in red blood cells.
Omega-3 supplements promote blood flow
The new study involved 13 professional cyclists who randomly received daily omega-3 supplements (1.3 g rammi twice daily), for 3 weeks, or a placebo for the same period. Results of specific analyses showed significant differences in NO levels, both before and after supplementation, between those who had taken omega-3 and those who had received placebo.
Nitric oxide is a gaseous molecule, produced at the level of the endothelium, that performs several biological functions in the body including dilating blood vessels and thereby regulating blood pressure. The 'average increase ranged from 13.9 to 23.5 micromoles per liter of blood in the subjects who had taken the supplements. Those who had taken the placebo, on the other hand, showed an increase in NO levels of only 15.3 micromoles per liter.
In addition to increasing NO concentrations by 8 micromoles per liter compared to placebo, supplementation had enhanced flow-mediated dilation (FMD), a measure of blood flow and thus vascular health by 5.25 percent. Increases in FMD were associated with significant increases in VO2max, or maximum oxygen consumption, a parameter that indicates the maximum amount of oxygen that can be used in the unit of time by an individual during muscle work.
More omega-3s more NO
According to the researchers who conducted the study, these results suggest that an increase in the endothelium's release of NO in response to omega-3 supplementation may play a central role in the adaptive mechanisms of the cardiovascular system and in the increased sports performance of cyclists.
The research adds a small but important piece to the scientific strand supporting the importance of omega-3s in sports nutrition.
Source: A. Zebrowska, K. Mizia-Stec, M. Mizia, Z. Gasior, S. Poprzecki: "Omega-3 fatty acids supplementation improves endothelial function and maximal oxygen uptake in endurance-trained athletes "European Journal of Sport Science Volume 15, Number 4, Pages 305-314, doi: 10.1080/17461391.2014.949310
