The quality and quantity of fats are affected by what the fish has eaten. What’s more, much of the fish in our supermarkets today is not wild but farmed.
‘Today, the earth is warmer and fish don’t tend to hold on to their body fat in such quantities. Why? ‘One theory is our very distant ancestors consumed far more omega-3s than we do today because of the cooler conditions animals needed to protect themselves more from the climate, so fish retained higher levels of fat, providing greater amounts when our ancestors ate them,’ explains Pearson.
Many of us don’t consume enough omega-3s. ‘Thus supporting lung function, essential for most runners as well as strong links with improved muscular recovery and cognitive function.’Ĭommon supplement may boost muscle recovery Reasons why we don’t get enough Omega 3 ‘Omega-3 fatty acids have also been shown to encourage bronchodilation ,’ adds McGregor. Omega-3 fatty acids are particularly beneficial for runners because of their anti-inflammatory benefits, says Pearson, helping to reduce delayed onset muscle soreness ( DOMS) and increasing blood flow to the muscles during our runs. If we extrapolate data from other nutrient studies, it has often been shown that in order to benefit from ergogenic properties, doses need to be higher than usual.’ Why are they good for runners? ‘This would suggest that requirements will be higher.
When it comes to runners, it’s worth considering training load, inflammatory response to exercise and energy metabolism, she says. In contrast, the American Heart Association recommends that those with coronary heart disease should include 1g of EPA and DHA per day, while those with elevated triglycerides should aim for The Canadian Association of Nutrition and Dietetics recommends 0.5g of EPA and DHA combined daily, while the European Food Safety Authority says 0.25g. ‘In fact, there are a number of mixed messages. ‘Many nutrients have specific recommended daily allowances, but there are none for omega-3 fatty acids,’ says McGregor. How much omega-3 should we eat?įor many years, the advice has been to aim to consume one to two portions of oily fish a week. ‘It has been shown that ALA can be made into EPA and DHA in the body, but the rate of conversion is low,’ she says. You can also find omega-3 (ALA) in plant sources, including chia seeds, linseeds, walnuts and flax seeds. ‘This is why oily fish such as salmon, mackerel, sardines and kippers are encouraged as part of a balanced diet as they’re great sources of EPA and DHA,’ says McGregor. The best-utilised forms of omega-3 come from cold-water oily fish such as salmon, herring and sardines. If you consume fish oil supplements, you’ll see that EPA and DHA are the main components and they are the fatty acids most often associated with health and performance benefits.’ ‘The three main and most researched are EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid), DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) andĪLA (alpha-linolenic acid). ‘Omega-3 fatty acids have a third carbon double bond within their biochemical structure, thus known as omega-3,’ adds sports dietician Renee McGregor. ‘Omega-3 fatty acids are a group of polyunsaturated fats that are essential for human health,’ says nutritionist Kim Pearson. When it comes to sports nutrition, there is lots of evidence that the inclusion of omega-3 fatty acids can support performance, encourage recovery and help manage inflammation. Recently, research has shown strong positive associations with the prevention of cognitive decline. Essential fatty acids and, principally, omega-3 fatty acids have been linked to numerous health benefits, including supporting the cardiovascular system, reducing inflammation and more.
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