OMEGA-3 fish oil for athletes
Content:
The benefits of omega-3 fish oil for sports and fitness.
Regular exercise increases the body's need for energy sources. Therefore, with serious physical exertion, nutritionists recommend enriching the diet with useful nutrients, vitamins, and minerals. Fish oil is one of the really important components that must be delivered to the body during professional sports.
Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) OMEGA-3 have a multifaceted effect on the body.
Accelerating muscle recovery
Exercise leads to micro-damage to muscle tissue. The more intense the physical activity, the more damage and, accordingly, the longer the athlete experiences pain during recovery. Muscle recovery can take anywhere from a few hours to several days.
One of the main features of Omega-3 fish oil is the acceleration of cellular metabolism. Thanks to this, nutrients are continuously supplied to the tissues, which increases the rate of cell division, renews, and restores muscle structures.
Important: Do not take fish oil on an empty stomach, as this leads to gastrointestinal disorders. Fats very quickly activate bile secretion and loosen stools.
Increased muscle gain - increased protein synthesis.
In order to build up muscle mass, protein synthesis in tissues is necessary. Protein production remains elevated for a day after training, but along with this, protein breakdown in muscles increases. As a result, without proper nutrition, an increase in muscle mass may be impossible, since the processes of synthesis and catabolism often equalize each other.
Fish oil is involved in complex biochemical processes that are associated not only with the acceleration of the synthesis of protein compounds, but also with the inhibition of catabolic processes, i.e., a decrease in the breakdown of muscle fibers. With the help of the correct intake of this product and amino acids, you can achieve an increase in muscle tissue growth by 25%.
Increased reaction speed and brain health
Scientists from the Alzheimer's Disease and Memory Disorders Medical Center (Rhode Island, USA) have found a link between cognitive brain function (concentration, thinking, attention, memory) and consumption of Omega-3 fish oil. In their opinion, taking them has a positive effect on brain function and can slow the progression of age-related cognitive impairment.
Reducing muscle pain after exercise
Omega-3 sports nutrition can help reduce pain after intense exercise. This effect is largely due to the slowdown in the breakdown of muscle protein (as mentioned above). But in addition, it was found that Omega-3 fish oil reduces the severity of inflammatory processes in the muscles, so that the athlete can train more often, with greater intensity.
Improving Joint and Bone Health
Numerous studies have shown that people living near the sea and often consuming seafood rich in omega-3s are much less likely to experience diseases of the musculoskeletal system. This is easy to explain. For instance:
Joint tissues need this connection because it helps keep them elastic. Synovial fluid, which plays the role of intra-articular lubrication, prevents friction and wear of the joints, and contains fats in its composition. This diet improves the absorption of calcium, so the likelihood of bone fractures is reduced.
Weight loss - fat metabolism
The benefits of Omega 3 for athletes also include accelerating the fat burning process. This compound is very often included in special supplements, even a specialized Omega-3 sports nutrition is produced.
The effectiveness of combining fish oil with regular exercise has been reported in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. The publication published the results of a study of a group of participants. Some were given liquid fish oil with increased DHA concentration, while others were given sunflower oil. At the same time, all the participants were engaged in physical exercises. The workouts took place 3 times a week for 45 minutes in the mode of maintaining the activity of the heart muscle at the level of 75%. The best results were shown by the group consuming fish oil. The study authors noted a significant reduction in body fat. This was facilitated by the fact that the acids contained in fish oil lowered the heart rate. Accordingly, in order to increase their activity to the level of 75%, the subjects had to apply more physical efforts, which means they had to spend more energy.
Improving the absorption of oxygen by the lungs
During exercise, the cardiovascular system is under increased stress. Omega-3 stabilizes the heart, helps to normalize the heart rate. Also, the supplement increases the elasticity of blood vessels, prevents their spasm, which creates favorable conditions for normal blood flow in the capillaries surrounding the alveoli, and improves the supply of oxygen to the lungs and other organs and tissues.
Vascular health and cholesterol reduction
PUFA are reliable vascular protectors. They strengthen their walls, increase permeability, and ensure normal blood flow, thereby reducing the risk of thrombus formation. Omega-3 also contributes to the rapid conversion of cholesterol to bile acids, thus ensuring its rapid elimination from the body. Therefore, when consumed in moderation, these substances are also a good prevention of atherosclerosis.
Strengthening the immune system
The use of Omega-3 fish oil in sports also helps to strengthen the immune system. Compounds such as prostaglandins, which are synthesized from PUFAs, provide a complex effect on the body:
normalize the rheological properties of blood;
provide vasodilation (relaxation of vascular smooth muscles, which contributes to normal blood flow and tissue nutrition);
restore the work of the organs of the urinary system;
improve the quality of hepatocytes (liver cells), etc.
All this allows for the proper increase of the barrier functions of the immune system and its resistance to adverse factors, to prevent inflammatory, infectious processes.
Contraindications for taking Omega-3 fish oil
Despite the natural origin and usefulness of this product, its use has a number of restrictions. Before using this product, be sure to consult a doctor. Pregnant women, breastfeeding women, as well as the elderly should be careful when eating fish oil. In some cases, the product may be completely prohibited, for example, if a person has:
excess vitamins A and D, as well as calcium;
acute kidney disease;
diseases of the thyroid gland;
allergies to seafood;
diseases of the stomach and gallbladder;
some vascular or heart diseases;
intolerance to individual components of the product.
In general, fish oil is an excellent aid in the fight against excess weight. By combining its intake with proper nutrition and exercise, you can significantly speed up the process of fat burning and improve your figure in a short time.
