Fish Oil and Exercise Recovery: Insights from Recent Research

A recent trial demonstrated that short-term fish oil supplementation improved post-exercise recovery in athletes, producing faster restoration of muscle function and reduced perceived soreness—findings that support considering omega-3s as a recovery adjunct after high‑intensity eccentric exercise.

The study used a randomized, double‑blind, placebo‑controlled design and enrolled healthy, physically active young adults. Participants received 2100 mg EPA plus 720 mg DHA per day versus placebo. Primary endpoints included vertical jump performance and isometric peak torque, 10‑cm visual-analogue scale measures of muscle soreness, and systemic inflammatory markers (TNF‑α, IL‑6) assessed pre‑exercise, immediately post‑exercise, and at 24, 48, and 72 hours.

Strength recovery—measured as changes in maximal voluntary contraction and peak torque—was faster in the fish oil group. Quadriceps performance and vertical jump returned to baseline by 48 hours in the supplemented group, while the placebo group remained suppressed through 72 hours; the fish oil arm was within ~5% of baseline at 48 hours versus an approximate 8.9% persistent deficit in controls. These objective differences indicate a clinically meaningful acceleration of muscle‑function restoration and suggest supplementation shortened recovery timelines by about one day in this cohort.

Participants also reported reduced muscle soreness on 10‑cm visual‑analogue scales in the fish oil arm. Soreness peaked early in both groups but returned to baseline by 48 hours with supplementation, whereas the placebo group remained elevated at that time point. The between‑group difference at 24 hours reached statistical significance, supporting a reliable symptomatic benefit and a role for omega‑3s as an adjunct for immediate post‑exercise symptom management during recovery‑focused training phases.

Biochemical assays produced mixed results: TNF‑α rose after exercise in both groups but trended toward faster normalization in the fish oil group by 72 hours, while IL‑6 showed time‑dependent increases without a clear group effect. This variability likely reflects sampling timing, biomarker selection, and interindividual differences in omega‑3 incorporation; noisy biomarker signals do not negate the observed functional and symptomatic improvements.