The Athlete's Guide to Sports Supplements by Kimberly Mueller

Author:Kimberly Mueller [Kimberly Mueller; Josh Hingst]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780736093699
Publisher: Human Kinetics
Published: 2013-03-25T16:00:00+00:00

Research: Results evaluating the impact of omega-3s on inflammation caused by exercise and sport injury are currently limited and generally equivocal, though some animal and human data present promise. For example, a small, randomized, double-blind human study found that a daily supplementation protocol of 324 mg EPA and 216 mg DHA from fish oil (1.8 g total omega-3) over 30 days held some merit in countering chronic inflammation and associated delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS) in untrained individuals after a single 40-minute session of eccentric (lowering phase) loading exercise (Tartibian, Maleki, and Abbasi, 2009). The same supplementation protocol was found to ameliorate exercise-induced markers of inflammation associated with eccentric exercise in untrained men (Tartibian, Maleki, and Abbasi, 2011) Whether or not this would hold true for trained athletes is unknown. According to researchers from Indiana University, however, highly trained athletes with exercise-induced asthma (EIA) may benefit from omega-3’s antiinflammatory attributes by following a daily supplementation protocol of 3.2 g EPA and 2.0 g DHA from fish oil over 3 weeks. This protocol has been shown to significantly reduce airway inflammation and enhance overall lung function in highly trained subjects affected by EIA (Mickleborough et al., 2003). Finally, of potential relevance to the contact sport athlete or combat soldier, a daily supplementation protocol incorporating 10 or 40 mg/kg body weight of omega-3s over 30 days was shown to be effective in countering the neural inflammation and damage caused by concussive injuries in rats; the higher dose demonstrated an astounding 98% reduction in neural damage tested (Mills et al., 2011). Further research needs to confirm this benefit in human subjects.

Common usage: For antiinflammatory benefit, target daily consumption is 1-2 g of EPA and DHA in an approximate 2:1 ratio, common in fish oil, krill, and algae supplements. ALA omega-3s, present in plant-based supplements such as flaxseed oil, should be taken at a dose 3-5 times higher due to conversion rates to EPA and DHA that are only estimated at 36% for women and 16% for men. Omega-3 supplements are best taken with food.

Health concerns: Use of omega-3s is generally recognized as safe although reported side effects include indigestion and gas, especially at doses above 3 g of EPA and DHA.

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