{"id":61681,"date":"2025-07-13T07:36:12","date_gmt":"2025-07-13T07:36:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/61681\/"},"modified":"2025-07-13T07:36:12","modified_gmt":"2025-07-13T07:36:12","slug":"do-omega-3-supplements-boost-exercise-performance-study-offers-clues","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/61681\/","title":{"rendered":"Do Omega-3 Supplements Boost Exercise Performance? Study Offers Clues"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/close-up-of-fish-oil-supplements-pills-1296x728-header.jpg\" alt=\"Closeup of omega-3 supplements\" class=\"css-1jytyml\"\/><a class=\"icon-hl-pinterest css-1dn5h5\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\" data-event=\"Any Page|Image Pinterest Click|Icon Clicked\" data-element-event=\"OPEN|CONTENTBLOCK|Any Page|Article Body|BUTTON|Image Widget Pinterest Click|\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/pin\/create\/button\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.healthline.com%2Fhealth-news%2Fomega-3-supplements-athletic-performance-study&amp;media=https%3A%2F%2Fmedia.post.rvohealth.io%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2025%2F07%2Fclose-up-of-fish-oil-supplements-pills-1296x728-header.jpg&amp;description=Do%20Omega-3%20Supplements%20Boost%20Exercise%20Performance%3F%20Study%20Offers%20Clues\" title=\"Share on Pinterest\" data-pin-custom=\"true\" data-share-url=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/close-up-of-fish-oil-supplements-pills-1296x728-header.jpg\">Share on Pinterest<\/a>Omega-3 supplements combined with strength training could boost athletic performance and improve heart and brain health. Lan Zhang\/Getty Images<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Omega-3 supplements combined with weightlifting could result in improvements to strength and health.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>A new study suggests that incorporating omega-3s into a strength training regimen positively impacts heart and brain health and can lead to fitness gains.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Due to the limited scope of the research, it\u2019s unclear whether the findings are applicable to the broader population.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>A study, recently published in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2072-6643\/17\/13\/2088\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" class=\"content-link css-1c2ok3c\">Nutrients<\/a>, found that athletes who supplemented with omega-3 fatty acids during a strength-training regimen experienced improvements in cholesterol profiles, brain-health markers, and, notably, strength gains compared with those who did not.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe combination of omega-3 supplementation with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.healthline.com\/health\/fitness-exercise-weight-training\" class=\"content-link css-1c2ok3c\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">resistance training<\/a> resulted in meaningful improvements not only in biochemical markers but also in core components of physical performance such as muscular strength, agility, reaction time, and explosive power,\u201d the study authors wrote.<\/p>\n<p>However, significant limitations remain. The study included only healthy men with a history of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.healthline.com\/health\/exercise-fitness\/strength-training-at-home\" class=\"content-link css-1c2ok3c\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">strength training<\/a>, making it unclear if the findings would translate to the general public, particularly those with existing chronic disease.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBecause this excludes the public, it is unclear if there would be such benefits for the entirety of a population,\u201d said <a href=\"https:\/\/akwan54.wixsite.com\/therdroute\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" class=\"content-link css-1c2ok3c\">Alyssa Kwan,<\/a> MS, RD, a clinical dietitian in cardiology at Stanford Medicine who wasn\u2019t involved in the study.<\/p>\n<p>Nonetheless, the study suggests that omega-3 supplementation may provide a cost-effective, convenient approach to enhancing exercise performance.<\/p>\n<p>Researchers in Turkey conducted a randomized trial to assess the effects of omega-3 supplementation with weight training. Two groups of men followed the same weightlifting regimen, but only one group received the supplements.<\/p>\n<p>Thirty men aged 18 to 30 were recruited for the trial. Participants were only included if they met a stringent set of criteria:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>a strength-training history of at least three years<\/li>\n<li>absence of chronic medical conditions<\/li>\n<li>non-smokers<\/li>\n<li>non-drinkers of alcohol<\/li>\n<li>ability to train at least three days per week<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>A total of 15 participants were randomized to receive omega-3 supplements, while the remaining participants served as controls. The daily omega-3 dosage was 3,150 mg, selected based on prior studies reporting performance-enhancing effects at similar levels.<\/p>\n<p>Both groups performed strength training three days per week, comprising one upper-body day, one lower-body day and one full-body day. Researchers standardized gym conditions \u2014 including lighting, temperature and equipment \u2014 to minimize performance variability.<\/p>\n<p>Additionally, to minimize confounding factors, both groups followed a rigorously standardized diet supervised by a certified dietitian.<\/p>\n<p>By the end of the trial, supplemented participants experienced multi-systemic health and performance benefits versus controls. Key health outcomes included:<\/p>\n<p>Performance gains included:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>13.6% increase in bench-press <a href=\"https:\/\/www.healthline.com\/health\/fitness\/one-rep-max-how-to-calculate-and-use\" class=\"content-link css-1c2ok3c\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">one-rep max (1RM)<\/a><\/li>\n<li>9.7% increase in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.healthline.com\/health\/exercise-fitness\/squats-benefits\" class=\"content-link css-1c2ok3c\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">squat<\/a> 1RM<\/li>\n<li>improved power, speed, agility, and reaction time<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\u201cThe fact that such improvements were observed even in healthy, physically active individuals suggests that omega-3 can be considered a valuable performance-enhancing aid for athletes and those engaged in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.healthline.com\/health\/fitness-exercise\" class=\"content-link css-1c2ok3c\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">regular physical activity<\/a>,\u201d wrote the study authors.<\/p>\n<p>More research is needed to better understand how these supplements will affect a broader population.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s unclear whether the health and performance benefits of omega-3 supplementation and weightlifting would extend to the broader population.<\/p>\n<p>Still, the health benefits observed would be meaningful, even if isolated from the aspects related to exercise performance.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThese benefits could have a large impact on longevity. While exercise is one of the best ways to reduce the risk of cardiometabolic diseases, omega-3s have also been shown to have a beneficial impact as well. Improvements in lipid profiles could reduce the risk of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.healthline.com\/health\/heart-attack\/signs-of-stroke-or-heart-attack\" class=\"content-link css-1c2ok3c\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">heart attack and stroke<\/a> as well as cognitive decline,\u201d said <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kristinkirkpatrick.com\/meet-kristin\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" class=\"content-link css-1c2ok3c\">Kristin Kirkpatrick<\/a>, MS, RD, a nutritionist at the Cleveland Clinic, and co-author of \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.goodreads.com\/book\/show\/62873947-regenerative-health\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" class=\"content-link css-1c2ok3c\">Regenerative Health<\/a>,\u201d who wasn\u2019t involved in the study.<\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, Kwan adds, \u201cWe do understand that omega-3s have anti-inflammatory benefits and are very important for immune resilience and a general health benefit.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Your body doesn\u2019t naturally produce omega-3s, which means they must be obtained from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.healthline.com\/nutrition\/12-omega-3-rich-foods\" class=\"content-link css-1c2ok3c\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">omega-3-rich foods<\/a> like fatty fish, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.healthline.com\/healthy\/walnuts-linked-to-healthier-eating-habits-reduced-heart-disease-risk\" class=\"content-link css-1c2ok3c\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">walnuts<\/a>, or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.healthline.com\/health\/food-nutrition\/benefits-of-chia-seeds\" class=\"content-link css-1c2ok3c\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">chia seeds<\/a>. Omega-3 supplements, typically sold as pills or oils, can help fill the gap for those who don\u2019t regularly consume sufficient amounts of omega-3-rich foods.<\/p>\n<p>However, experts say food-based sources of omega-3s are generally preferable to seeking out a supplement. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cHealth benefits can be linked and achieved by just a healthy diet alone, such as eating fish. This supports <a href=\"https:\/\/www.healthline.com\/health\/balanced-diet\" class=\"content-link css-1c2ok3c\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">an overall healthy diet<\/a> as well,\u201d said Kwan.<\/p>\n<p>Like other significant changes to diet and lifestyle, consult with a registered dietitian or your healthcare provider before taking an omega-3 supplement.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Share on PinterestOmega-3 supplements combined with strength training could boost athletic performance and improve heart and brain health.&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":61682,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[37],"tags":[9520,210,1182,7960,67,132,68,6433],"class_list":{"0":"post-61681","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-nutrition","8":"tag-athletic-performance","9":"tag-health","10":"tag-nutrition","11":"tag-omega-3-supplements","12":"tag-united-states","13":"tag-unitedstates","14":"tag-us","15":"tag-weightlifting"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@us\/114844780636088520","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/61681","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=61681"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/61681\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/61682"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=61681"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=61681"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=61681"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}