Omega-3 and Muscle Recovery: The Overlooked Stack
Fish oil is more than a heart supplement. Studies show 3 g/day EPA+DHA reduces DOMS by up to 35% and lowers systemic inflammation — making it a recovery essential.
EPA and DHA: The Active Components
Not all omega-3s are equal. ALA (found in flaxseed) converts to EPA at roughly 5–10% efficiency in humans — essentially negligible for performance purposes. EPA and DHA from marine sources are the bioactive forms. EPA drives anti-inflammatory eicosanoid synthesis; DHA incorporates into cell membranes, improving their fluidity and the efficiency of receptors embedded in them — including insulin receptors and androgen receptors.
The Recovery Mechanism
Intense exercise causes micro-tears in muscle fibres, triggering an inflammatory cascade. Controlled inflammation is necessary for adaptation; uncontrolled or prolonged inflammation delays recovery and causes excessive DOMS. EPA competitively inhibits the arachidonic acid pathway, reducing pro-inflammatory prostaglandin and leukotriene production. The net effect is faster resolution of exercise-induced inflammation without blunting the adaptive signal — unlike NSAIDs, which impair muscle protein synthesis.
What the Research Shows
A landmark study in the Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine (2009) found that 3 g EPA+DHA daily for 30 days reduced DOMS scores by 35% after eccentric exercise. A 2011 study in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition showed significant improvements in muscle soreness and strength recovery 48 hours post-workout. Additionally, EPA+DHA supplementation has been shown to increase muscle protein synthesis rates in older athletes by up to 20% — relevant for anyone over 35 struggling with recovery.
Dosing and Product Quality
Effective dose: minimum 2 g combined EPA+DHA per day; optimal for performance: 3–4 g. Read the label carefully — "fish oil 1,000 mg" does not mean 1,000 mg EPA+DHA. A typical 1,000 mg fish oil capsule contains only 180 mg EPA and 120 mg DHA (300 mg combined). You would need 10 such capsules to reach 3 g. Choose concentrated triglyceride-form fish oil with 500–600 mg EPA+DHA per capsule, and look for IFOS or similar third-party purity certification.
Written by
Ivan Kowalski
Exercise Physiologist