Marine-source Omega-3 for Sports Nutrition · oxygen utilization, breathing, circulation, muscle...
Transcript of Marine-source Omega-3 for Sports Nutrition · oxygen utilization, breathing, circulation, muscle...
Physically active people tend to have greater
interest in their health and well-being. They
are also becoming more educated and are
learning that physical activity increases the
need for essential nutrients. A physically active
body demands more fuel, and the type of
fuel provided through diet impacts training,
performance and recovery. From the weekend
sports enthusiast to the trained competitive
athlete, the nutrients required to promote good
performance, slow the aging process and stay
healthy are similar.
For the athlete, long-chain omega-3 fatty acids
are of particular importance because of the
multiple health benefits they provide. They
are proven to reduce risk for chronic disease,
they can prepare the athlete for top-level
performance, they can protect against damage
from the wear and tear of strenuous exercise,
and they provide for better recovery. They may
also keep the athlete biologically younger;
a recent study in mature men showed that
higher consumption of EPA and DHA omega-3
is associated with younger biological age1.
Another recent study reports that bones remain
denser and stronger when the diet contains a
good amount of long-chain omega-3s2.
Be smart with fats
Fat is an important source of fuel for athletes.
This is true both for weekend sports enthusiasts
who may be watching their waistlines and for
trained endurance athletes who rely on body fat
stores to provide fuel to their muscles during
events. The fats used for fuel are common
fats in the diet from meat, dairy foods, nuts
and seeds. Long-chain omega-3 fats EPA
and DHA, however, are different. They are
constituents of cell membranes and perform
highly unique functions in the cells where
they reside. They are the precursors—or the
source—for metabolically active compounds
that are involved with managing heart rate,
Our ancestors consumed
a balance between
omega-6 and omega-3
of about 2:1. Today,
this balance—because
of the foods we eat—
has changed and ranges
between 10:1 or 20:1
of omega-6:omega-3.
This imbalance can be
problematic for the
athlete, impacting
both performance and
recovery5.
Marine-source Omega-3 for Sports Nutrition
oxygen utilization, breathing, circulation, muscle
contraction, inflammation, body temperature and
more. They are integrally involved with immune
function. Furthermore, emerging science has
identified another role for EPA and DHA, that is,
a central role in the innate process of resolving
acute inflammation3,4,5,6.
Why long-chain omega-3s
Omega-3s are a type of fat known as essential
fatty acids. The body cannot make omega-3 or
omega-6 fatty acids; they must be consumed
through diet or supplements. EPA and DHA are
the most functional omega-3 fatty acids and are
naturally found only in marine sources such as fish
and fish oils.
The fats in the tissues of our body are determined
by the fats that we eat. Over the last century,
the intake of polyunsaturated fatty acids has
changed and the fine balance between these two
essential fatty acids has been disrupted. This
is due to the rapid increase in production and
availability of refined, processed foods made with
plant oils, such as corn and soybean, which supply
concentrated amounts of omega-6 fats, while the
consumption of fish, the richest source of long-
chain omega-3s, has fallen.
Having both omega-3 and omega-6 in the diet are
important but a state of cellular imbalance with
significantly more omega-6 puts the athlete at a
disadvantage for optimal performance and recovery.
Consuming more long-chain omega-3s from fish
and fish oils while consuming less omega-6 fats
improves tissue balance and overall health.
Being proactive is important. Most pharmaceutical
treatments are used by athletes after tissue injury
occurs. EPA and DHA again, are different. EPA and
DHA must be in the tissues before any trauma
or strains occur for maximum benefit. It takes
weeks, not hours or days, to increase omega-3
levels in tissues. This means sufficient amounts of
omega-3s must be consumed on a regular basis,
enabling these special fats to be incorporated into
the blood and tissues where they work, such as
heart, lung, muscle, and liver cell. Increasing your
intake of fish or supplementing with concentrated
omega-3 from marine sources while limiting intake
of omega-6 fats prepares the athlete for best
performance and optimal recovery.
Benefits of marine omega-3s (or EPA and DHA)
for the athlete
Improves heart health and circulation: EPA
and DHA are shown to improve heart health
and reduce risk of sudden cardiac death7. They
are beneficial for good circulation and heart
rate8. They have also been associated with
less incidence of congestive heart failure, a
serious condition in which the heart muscle
becomes weakened9. More efficient heart rate
For the athlete, long-
chain omega-3 fatty
acids are of particular
importance because
of the multiple health
benefits they provide.
and utilization of oxygen have been reported
in the trained cyclists who consumed fish
oil supplements compared to a placebo10. A
study among professional football players who
consumed 2 grams of EPA and DHA per day
reported improved cardiovascular function
compared to those who took a placebo 11.
Supports healthy joints and flexibility:
Individuals who have rheumatoid arthritis (RA)
report less painful joints and shorter duration
of morning stiffness when they regularly
supplement with EPA and DHA omega-3. Some
individuals are able to reduce the amount of
non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications
when taking long-chain omega-3s from fish
oil12,13,14,15. Of course, it is important to always
follow the advice of your physician.
Promotes mental performance and good
vision: Long-chain omega-3s play a pivotal
role in mental health, and they support better
concentration and focus. Not only are they
structurally part of the brain and eyes, they are
associated with less depression, less dyslexia
and better cognition in adults16,17,18.
Supports healthy metabolism: A pilot trial in
middle-aged adults reported improvements in
cardiovascular health and greater loss of body
fat among those who consumed 1.9 grams of
EPA and DHA omega-3, compared to those
on placebo19.
Promotes healthy lung function: Improved
pulmonary function both during and after
exercise was reported in a study of young,
healthy wrestlers who took 1 gram of EPA
and DHA, compared to placebo20. And
significant reductions in exercise-induced
bronchoconstriction (EIB) have been shown in
elite athletes and in those with asthma when
they supplemented with 5.2 grams of EPA and
DHA, compared to placebo21,22.
Promotes quicker recovery from sport injuries:
Long-chain omega-3s are integrally involved
with cellular immune response and reducing
inflammation, both important for recovery from
tissue damage or trauma3,5,23. Inflammation is
a natural, normal response to trauma or injury,
such as a strain or sprain. When inflammation
occurs, the immune system is activated (e.g.
redness and swelling) and a complex series
of events is initiated to repair and restore
the injured tissue. Long-chain fatty acids are
constituents of the compounds synthesized by
the immune system, but these fatty acids must
be present in the body at the time of injury to
provide benefit. Conditions that lead to more
inflammation, such as high levels of omega-6
fats in the diet and low levels of long-chain
omega-3s, can delay healing and keep the
athlete sidelined longer than desired. Increasing
consumption of EPA and DHA positions
the immune system to function swiftly and
effectively, reducing discomfort and speeding
recovery.
Timing matters
Athletes can prepare for optimal performance
and better recovery with regular consumption of
EPA and DHA omega-3 fats from marine sources.
Regular consumption of sufficient amounts lead
to healthy tissue levels. Experts recommend a
daily intake of 1–2 grams of EPA and DHA in a
ratio of 2:1 EPA:DHA for the athlete5. Doses of
3–6 grams of EPA and DHA have shown benefit
in trained athletes and for reducing joint pain
and stiffness in those with RA. Concentrated fish
oil is a more convenient and efficient way to
consume higher amounts of omega-3. A healthful
diet and adequate fluid intake is important for
those engaged in physical activity, and there
is evidence suggesting that both the weekend
sports enthusiast and the trained competitive
athlete will improve their game by including EPA
and DHA omega-3 in their daily regime.
A physically active
body demands more
fuel, and the type of
fuel provided through
diet impacts training,
performance and
recovery.
EPAX AS has supported
more clinical research
using their concentrated
and purified marine-
based omega-3 fish oil
than any other marine
omega-3 company in
the world.
EPAX® THEMOST CLINICALLY
RESEARCHEDMARINE OMEGA-3
INGREDIENTS
References
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of marine omega-3 fatty acid levels with
telomeric aging in patients with coronary heart
disease. J Am Medical Assoc 2010;303(3):250-
257.
2 Farina EK, Kiel DP, Roubenoff R, et al.
Protective effects of fish intake and Protective
effects of fish intake and interactive effects of
long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid intakes
on hip bone mineral density in older adults: the
Framingham Osteoporosis Study. Am J Clin Nutr
2011;93(5):1142-1151.
3 Calder PC, Lindley MR, Burke LM, et al. A-Z of
nutritional supplements: dietary supplements,
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Med 2010;44:1065-1067.
4 Huffman DM, Michaelson JL, Thomas TR.
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5 Simopoulos AP. Omega-3 fatty acids and
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Annu Rev Pathol 2008;3:279-312.
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16 Martins JG. EPA but not DHA appears to be
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chain polyunsaturated fatty acid supplementation
in depression: evidence from a meta-analysis of
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Combining fish-oil supplements with regular
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20 Tartibian B, Maleki BH, Abbasi A. The effects of
omega-3 supplementation on pulmonary function
of young wrestlers during intensive training. J
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21 Mickleborough TD, Lindley MR, Ionescu
AA, and Fly AD. Protective effect of fish
oil supplementation on exercise-induced
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22 Mickleborough TD, Murray RL, Ionescu AA and
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