Is fish oil omega-3 fats important to muscle protein synthesis and body leaning? It seems so according to recent research. For instance, a recent study out of Washington University and the University of Nottingham provided healthy young and middle aged men and women fish oil supplements (≈3 g of EPA+DHA) for 8 weeks.¹ They determined that after 8 weeks the fish oil significantly increased muscle protein synthesis in response to eating protein and carbohydrate. Moreover, this same benefit was determined to be even more significant for older individuals.²  We all know that how much skeletal muscle you have is a matter of simple algebra. Throughout the day muscle protein is broken down and remade via counterbalancing, yet biochemical distinct, processes and both sides are influenced by exercise training and nutrition. Basically, gains in skeletal muscle means that over time more muscle protein building (synthesis) has taken place than protein breakdown resulting in a net accretion of muscle protein. Since it now seems that omega-3 fat from fish oil is fundamentally important in optimizing muscle protein synthesis, we should all be doing more fishing for maximal fitness benefit in the supplement aisle.

References

1.   Smith GI, Atherton P, Reeds DN, Mohammed BS, Rankin D, Rennie MJ, Mittendorfer B. Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids augment the muscle protein anabolic response to hyperinsulinaemia-hyperaminoacidaemia in healthy young and middle-aged men and women. Clinical Sciences (Lond), 2011 Sep;121(6):267-78.

2.   Smith GI, Atherton P, Reeds DN, Mohammed BS, Rankin D, Rennie MJ, Mittendorfer B. Dietary omega-3 fatty acid supplementation increases the rate of muscle protein synthesis in older adults: a randomized controlled trial. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition,  2011 Feb;93(2):402-12.