Fish oil doubles strength gains through strength training

Definition: "An ergogenic aid is any substance or phenomenon that enhances performance "

18.03.2023

We have written several times about the positive effects of fish oil supplementation on people over sixty who train with weights. According to American sports scientists, younger strength training novices can also benefit from fish oil supplements.

Fish oil doubles strength gains through strength training

Study

Jeffery Heileson, of Baylor University and the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, got 218 healthy subjects aged 18-40 to do weight training 3 times a week for 10 weeks. Each training consisted of a full body workout with basic exercises.

Heileson divided the subjects into 2 groups. One group took placebo capsules every day during the experiment, the other group took fish oil capsules.

The product Heileson used, ProOmega from Nordic Naturals, is shown above. The test subjects took no less than 7 capsules per day. They provided a total of 4.5 grams of fish oil per day, of which 2.28 grams came from EPA and 1.58 grams from EPA.

Results
Heileson found no significant differences between the two groups when it came to changes in body composition. The subjects in the supplement group did build up significantly more strength than the subjects in the placebo group. The increase in maximal strength was almost two times more in the fish oil group than in the placebo group.

Click on the figure below for a larger version with more information.

Mechanism
The researchers suspect that fish oil supplementation makes the anabolic machinery of muscle cells run more smoothly. They argue for more studies, preferably with a longer duration than 10 weeks.

Sponsor
The study was funded by Baylor University, not a supplement manufacturer.

Source:
J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2023;20(1):2174704.

More:
Combination of strength training with fish oil supplementation keeps aging muscles strong 08.08.2022
Fish oil helps over 65s' muscles respond better to strength training 02.06.2017
Seniors who take fish oil supplements react better to strength training 20.02.2012

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Fish oil supplement can make you fitter, slimmer and more muscular Taking a fish oil supplement boosts calorie expenditure and fat burning while doing low-intensity exercise, and stimulates the growth of muscle tissue.	Combination of strength training with fish oil supplementation lowers blood pressure When people start exercising with weights, they become stronger. If they combine their workouts with fish oil supplementation, they will not only get stronger, but also lower their blood pressure - read: reduce their risk of having a heart attack or stroke.	How fish oil can help bodybuilders gain muscle mass If bodybuilders and other power athletes take a good daily dose of fish fatty acids they are likely to increase their muscle recovery ability.