Muscle fatigue 4X less likely in rugby players getting Omega-3 and protein

Created July 2018

Omega-3 reduced delayed onset muscle soreness in half - RCT Jan 2014

Influence of Omega-3 (N3) Index on Performance and Wellbeing in Young Adults after Heavy Eccentric Exercise

J Sports Sci Med. 2014 Jan; 13(1): 151–156., Published online 2014 Jan 20, PMCID: PMC3918552, PMID: 24570619

Peter Lembke,1,* Jillian Capodice,2,✉* Kathleen Hebert,2,* and Thomas Swenson3,*

Summarized at Grassroots Health June 2018

Omega-3 given for 30 days, Omega-3 Index 3.6 ==> 5.4

Then have Heavy Eccentric Exercise

Detail at: 2X less muscle soreness after exercise if Omega-3 index higher than 4 – RCT 2014

Rugby and Omega-3 - July 2018

Adding omega-3 fatty acids to a protein-based supplement during pre-season training results in reduced muscle soreness and the better maintenance of explosive power in professional Rugby Union players

European Journal of Sport Science, online: 09 Jul 2018, https://doi.org/10.1080/17461391.2018.1491626

Katherine Elizabeth Black, Oliver C. Witard, Dane Baker, Philip Healey, Victoria Lewis, Francisco Tavares,

Effect of Omega-3 after 35 days of rugby training, | | | | | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | | beneficial | trivial | harmful | | Muscle Soreness | 94 % | 5% | 1% | | Countermovement jump | 92% | 7% | 0% | --- Would have had considerably more benefit if the Omega-3 and/or Vitamin D levels were increased BEFORE the start of training 1. See also VitaminDWiki Items in both categories Omega-3 and Sports are listed here: {category} --- Overview Sports and vitamin D category starts with {include} --- Omega-3 * Football Brain injuries prevented by Omega-3 – RCT Jan 2016 concussion, etc * Olympic Committee consensus on Vitamin D, Omega-3, Zinc, etc– May 2018 Vitamin D and Omega-3 category starts with {include}

Evidence suggests that omega-3 fatty acid supplementation could reduce muscle soreness and maintain muscle function following eccentric exercise-induced muscle damage. The aim of this applied field study was to investigate the effectiveness of consuming a protein-based supplement containing 1546 mg of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) (551 mg eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and 551 mg docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)) twice daily (FO) compared to a protein-based placebo (P) on muscle soreness, countermovement jump (CMJ) performance and psychological well-being in 20 professional Rugby Union players during 5 weeks of pre-season training.

Players completed a 5-point-Likert soreness scale with 5 indicating “no soreness” and a questionnaire assessing fatigue, sleep, stress and mood each morning of training, plus they performed CMJ tests once or twice per week. Data were analysed using magnitude-based inferential statistics and are presented as percent beneficial/trivial/harmful.

On day 35, there was a likely (% beneficial/trivial/harmful: 94/5/1) moderate (0.75, standardized mean difference (SMD)) beneficial effect of FO vs. P on the change in lower body muscle soreness compared with day 0 (FO: −3.8 ± 21.7%; P: −19.4 ± 11.2%). There was a likely (92/7/0) moderate (SMD: 0.60) beneficial effect of FO vs. P on CMJ performance (change from baseline to day 35, FO: +4.6 ± 5.9%; P: −3.4 ± 8.6%). From day 20, a moderate beneficial effect of FO on fatigue was observed. In terms of practical relevance, the moderate beneficial effect of adding fish oil to a protein-based supplement on muscle soreness translated into the better maintenance of explosive power in elite Rugby Union players during pre-season training.

Tags: Omega-3 Sports