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Dietary supplementation with n-3 fatty acids (n-3 FA) for 4 weeks reduces post-exercise fatigue and delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) in trained male athletes

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 September 2015

L. Benson  and
S. Mushtaq
L. Benson
Affiliation:
Department of Clinical Sciences and Nutrition, University of Chester, UK
S. Mushtaq
Affiliation:
Department of Clinical Sciences and Nutrition, University of Chester, UK
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Abstract

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Proceedings of the Nutrition Society , Volume 74 , Issue OCE5: Summer Meeting, 6–9 July 2015, The future of animal products in the human diet: health and environmental concerns , 2015 , E280
Copyright
Copyright © The Authors 2015 

This abstract was presented as the Whole Body Metabolism Theme highlight.

High intensity exercise in the form of eccentric contractions can lead to the formation of free radicals, stimulating an inflammatory response( Reference McBride, Kraemer, Triplett-McBride and Sebastianelli 1 , Reference Simopoulos 2 ). Consumption of n-3 FA may help modify inflammation and immune reactions beneficial to health by decreasing interleukin-6, tumour necrosis factor-alpha and C-reactive protein( Reference Simopoulos 3 ). For trained athletes to improve athletic performance, recovery from training is important and DOMS is frequently experienced following eccentric exercise, impacting negatively on strength( Reference Ebbeling and Clarkson 4 ). The Western diet is however, characterised by a high n-6 FA consumption relative to n-3 FA, formulating ratios often in excess of 16:1( Reference Pesola and Lawal 5 ). The use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in the form of n-3 FA has been investigated by a number of clinical trials in untrained athletes, but whether this can be translated into attenuating exercise induced inflammation in trained athletes is still under investigation.

A double-blind, randomised controlled trial was conducted in 22 trained male athletes who supplemented their diet with either 3000 mg/d of fish oil (gel capsules) consisting of 990 mg eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and 660 mg docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) (n = 11), or 3000 mg/d olive oil placebo (n = 11), for 28d. Participants underwent 3 sets of eccentric bicep curls in their dominant arm until failure and arm circumference, number of repetitions completed and DOMS/fatigue scores via visual analogue scale (VAS) were recorded at 0, 24 and 48 h after exercise, pre and post supplementation.

No group performed better during the eccentric bicep test, pre and post supplementation, and at baseline, no differences were observed between groups for DOMS and fatigue. However, post supplementation, DOMS was significantly lower at 24 h (P = 0·005) and 48 h (P = 0·002) and fatigue was significantly lower at 24 h (P = 0·043) and 48 h post exercise (P < 0·001) in the n-3 FA group compared to the placebo group (Fig. 1). These findings indicate that n-3 FA supplementation has the potential to promote recovery and subsequently increase athletic performance in trained male athletes and may be a useful ergogenic aid. Possible anti-inflammatory mechanisms of n-3 FA should be further investigated using specific biomarkers of inflammation.

Figure 1. DOMS (a) and fatigue (b) scores (cm on VAS scale) in response to eccentric bicep curls in trained male athletes following 4 weeks supplementation with 3000 mg/d n-3 FA (n = 11) and placebo (n = 11). Asterisks indicate a significant difference in scores between groups at equivalent time points (*P < 0·05, **P < 0·01, ***P < 0·001).

References

1. McBride, JM, Kraemer, WJ Triplett-McBride, T, & Sebastianelli, W (1998) Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise. 30(1) 67–72.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
2. Simopoulos, AP (2007) Current Sports Medicine Reports 6, 230–236.Google Scholar
3. Simopoulos, AP (2002) Biomedicine and Pharmacotherapy 56, 365–79.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
4. Ebbeling, CB & Clarkson, PM (1989) Sports Medicine 7, 207–34.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
5. Pesola, GR & Lawal, F (2013) Internet Journal of Asthma, Allergy and Immunology 9, 1.Google Scholar
Figure 0

Figure 1. DOMS (a) and fatigue (b) scores (cm on VAS scale) in response to eccentric bicep curls in trained male athletes following 4 weeks supplementation with 3000 mg/d n-3 FA (n = 11) and placebo (n = 11). Asterisks indicate a significant difference in scores between groups at equivalent time points (*P < 0·05, **P < 0·01, ***P < 0·001).