Omega-3s for Athletes: Fuel Your Game
If you’re an athlete, you ask a lot of your body. You want your muscles and heart in tip-top shape, your immune system protecting you from nasties, and your brain directing the whole show. What if there was something that could nourish all these parts of you? Guess what? There is: Omega-3 fatty acids.
New Study Finds Omega-3s Help Athletes
A 2020 systematic review study analyzed the results of 32 placebo-controlled studies involving omega-3 fatty acids and athletes.[1],[2] That’s a whole lot of studies! The athletes in question ranged from folks who played a sport for fun to Olympians. They were men and women, cyclists, judo practitioners, soccer players, basketball players, swimmers, runners, paddlers, and more. And they all took omega-3s. Did it help their game? The answer was a resounding yes — in four specific ways!
- Omega-3s Reduce Muscle Damage and Post-Workout Pain
Exercise is one of the healthiest things you can do for your body, but it also has a downside. When you exercise, you create internal inflammation. A little inflammation is good. A lot? Not so much.
One of the most common outcomes identified in the review study was that omega-3 fatty acids promote a healthy inflammation response in the post-exercise period. That probably explains why athletes who took omega-3s had less muscle damage (as measured by creatine kinase activity) and felt less pain after working out.
- Omega-3s Improve Cardiovascular Health
Your heart plays a crucial role in exercise. When you work out, your heart pumps faster and harder to deliver nutrient- and oxygen-rich blood to meet your muscles’ increased needs. Depending on how hard you’re going at it, you may need 3-4 times your normal output![3]
Omegas-3s support overall cardiovascular health. In cyclists, omega-3s improved blood vessel function and reduced heart rate during exercise — without reducing speed.
- Omega-3s Improve Markers of Immune Response
It’s hard to throw yourself into your workout if you’re feeling under the weather. And while exercise is good for your immunity in the long run, in a cruel irony, intense exercise can actually temporarily blunt immune response. (What’s up with that?)
Omega-3s may help keep athletes’ immune systems strong and hearty even during a vigorous training schedule. One study found when the sporty set took omega-3s, they were less likely to feel cruddy.
- Omega-3s Improve Cognition
If you’ve ever played a sport, you know how important it is to have your head in the game.
Mental benefits of taking omega-3s include better mood and reaction times, and these effects are consistent across sports. Omega-3s act on the central nervous system in ways that promote a calm, positive mood while also improving attention — the perfect duo for improved performance.
Dr. Harry Rice, Vice President of Regulatory and Scientific Affairs for the Global Organization for EPA and DHA Omega-3s (GOED), said about the study: “I was impressed by the number of identified benefits.” (We were, too, Dr. Rice.) He continues, “While everyone should have sufficient stores of EPA/DHA, athletes place increased demands on their bodies, which may require even higher EPA/DHA intakes than the general population.”
Omega Sport+ 3•6•9
If you want to get your sport on, we have the perfect omega-3 oil for you. Omega Sport+ 3•6•9 Oil Blend provides a perfect balance of omega 3s, 6s, and 9s — entirely from plant sources. PLUS, it includes medium chain triglycerides for fuel that can be used for quick energy, turmeric to promote a healthy inflammation response, and vitamin D for bone, muscle, and immune health.
Formulated for performance and recovery, Omega Sport+ 3•6•9 Oil Blend features a blend of coconut, flaxseed, sunflower, pumpkin, and evening primrose seed oils and is:
- Gluten-free
- Soy-free
- Non-GMO
- Vegetarian
- Keto-friendly
It’s one-stop shopping to keep you at the top of your game. Now that’s what we call a win.
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References
[1] Daniells S. From brains to hearts, muscles and immunity: review highlights omega-3 benefits for athletes. Nutraingredients. 2020 May 15. https://www.nutraingredients-usa.com/Article/2020/05/15/From-brains-to-hearts-muscles-and-immunity-Review-highlights-omega-3-benefits-for-athletes
[2] Lewis NA, et al. Are there benefits from the use of fish oil supplements in athletes? A systematic review. Adv Nutr. 2020 Sep 1;11(5):1300-14. https://academic.oup.com/advances/article/11/5/1300/5834649
[3] Cardiac output. University of Michigan Health. 2021. https://www.uofmhealth.org/health-library/tx4080abc
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