Fish oil is one supplement that can boost performance in and out of the gym.
Fish oil remains one of the most popular supplements in sports nutrition, and for good reason. While it is not a magic muscle-builder, it can be a smart addition to a bodybuilding diet because it helps support recovery, joint comfort, cardiovascular health, and overall wellness. The key ingredients in fish oil are omega-3 fatty acids, especially EPA and DHA, which are also found in krill oil and fatty fish. Your body cannot make enough of these on its own, so you need to get them from food or supplements.
For bodybuilders and strength athletes, progress depends on more than just heavy training. You also need consistent recovery, a solid diet, and enough nutrients to support adaptation over time. That is where fish oil may help. Current evidence suggests omega-3 supplementation may reduce some inflammatory markers after hard training and may help with muscle soreness, though the effects on pure strength, hypertrophy, and performance are more mixed.
Instead of thinking of fish oil as a “mass-building” supplement, it is more accurate to view it as a foundation supplement. It can help support the systems that allow you to train hard, recover well, and stay consistent.
Best Krill Oil – Nutricost Krill Oil
Nutricost Krill Oil
| Amount Of Krill Oil | 1,000mg |
| Number Of Servings | 30 |
| Serving Size | 2 Liquid Softgels |
| Best Way To Take | Take 2 Softgels with your desired beverage of choice. |
Praised for its overall benefits when it comes to heart and brain health, fish oil supplements are also that nice boost for energy ultimately leading to muscle growth and fat loss. With so much going into your body for that pre-workout boost, and so much depletion during that grueling and strenuous training session, fish oil will aid in rehab and ensure you retain those vital nutrients for your benefit.
Recovery is vital for muscle growth and that desired bodybuilding physique we strive for is just around the corner with a great fish oil supplement. Don’t let poor recuperation hurt those bodybuilding goals in your quest to be as shredded as possible and help maintain muscle protein, either for competition or that confidence boost to make you look and feel great so people can be comfortable with their weight and what they eat.
What is Fish Oil?
Fish oil is a fatty acid derived from the tissues of oily fish, such as trout, salmon, and sardines. What has given fish oil so much attention is the fact it contains omega-3 fatty acids, something your body cannot produce on its own. There are three important types of omega-3s: alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA).
ALA is most commonly found in plants, while DHA and EPA are in most animal foods. For people who eat a lot of fish or other foods high with omega-3s, taking a fish oil supplement is not necessary, but considering smaller doses are also beneficial to help ensure you keep feeding your body with those vital omega 3 nutrients per day.
Benefits Of Fish Oil
1. Increased Recovery Time and Reduce Muscle Soreness
Fish oil supplements can aid in recovery and speed up the rehab process, allowing for more efficient growth and muscle building. Known to possess anti-inflammatory properties, it can be extremely beneficial when working out, or even pre-workout, to get your mind and body right for an effective bodybuilding lift. Its ability to reduce muscle soreness (1) is also something very effective when it comes to your body repairing those tiny muscle tears that occur during your sessions.
Faster recuperation means more gains and the ability to recharge before each and every session, with the help of protein. This will help ensure that the next days training will be just as good, if not better, than the previous days training session to keep the gains train rolling and to help you with muscle building and shedding body fat with healthy fish oil capsules.
2. Burning Excess Fat
Although a fatty supplement, fish oil can actually increase your metabolic rate allowing you to burn more calories and work more efficiently to burn fat to see that bodybuilding aesthetic. By not taking in the proper nutrients, it can be easy to burn lean muscle instead of fat, which is quite the opposite of what you want to do. With a solid training routine, this can be very effective with fat loss (2).
With fish oil in your dietary regiment, you can keep your body replenished with what it needs while not compromising your goal of increasing lean muscle and losing fat. That desired, shredded physique is right around the corner for you to enjoy all the benefits of a great body, as well as watching you achieve those bodybuilding goals and help increase muscle protein while losing body fat each and every day for that daily dose of exercise. Just what people want and need to reduce their weight and lead healthier lives.
3. Promotes Heart Health
Maintaining a healthy heart goes without saying for anyone, bodybuilding athlete or not. But for those who constantly work out and keep the body pushed to the max, keeping your heart in top shape is often taken for granted. Fish oil is great for preventing plaque build-up in the heart and can lower blood pressure, which can improve blood circulation and keep you pumping efficiently. While also assisting in cholesterol control, fish oil can help lower your risk of a heart attack (3).
4. Supports Mental Health
The stress of eating well and working out all while trying to be healthy in your everyday life can be exhausting, especially for those bodybuilding goals. With a regular dose of fish oil, you can improve your mood to be happier and more engaged inside and out of the gym. What fish oil does is it supports the level of serotonin in your body, which keeps you feeling good.
Often times, high-carb foods can provide someone with serotonin which is why they are often craved. But with fish oil, you can manage your stress, anxiety, and depression (4), while getting enough serotonin to keep you feeling good which is what bodybuilders want.
Is It Effective for Bodybuilding?
Taking a healthy dose of fish oil is great for the wide array of health benefits involved. The ability to increase performance is something any athlete strives for and fish oil allows for a no-stress, healthy way to get there. It’s anti-inflammatory properties are perfect for those looking to recover fast and not feel bogged down by pain in the gym. Muscle soreness can be unfortunate and really hurt your ability to push harder through any workout ultimately leading to a not as effective workout overall and this is where fish oil can help preserve that muscle protein that many people struggle to keep with a diet or exercise program for bodybuilders.
Trial and error is the best way for anyone to experiment with a fish oil supplement to see what works and what doesn’t, but the benefits of fish oil have long been debated and the jury is out that it can be very beneficial for your overall health and bodybuilding goals. If you already consume fatty fish or other foods that contain omega-3 fatty acids, look into smaller doses to keep those nutrients flowing through your body.
Although the trial and error process can be tedious, just know it is a long game to get you to where you want to be and that those gains unfortunately don’t happen over night. Keep at it and really enjoy the process of getting to where you want your bodybuilding training and performance goals to be through a diet or exercise program and by taking any dietary supplement.
Best Food Sources that are high in Omega-3 are:
Vegetables
- Spinach
- Broccoli
- Avocados
- Kidney beans
Fruits
- Mangoes
- Blueberries
Nuts & Seeds
- Flax
- Walnut
- Chia
Other sources
- Salmon
- Sardines
- Egg yolks
- Lamb
- Tuna
How Much Fish Oil Should You Take?
The right dose depends on your diet and the product’s EPA and DHA content. Many standard fish oil capsules contain far less EPA and DHA than people assume, so the label matters more than the total “fish oil” number on the front of the bottle. The NIH notes that doses vary widely across products, and the AHA has noted that many typical pills only provide about 0.3 grams of omega-3s each.
A practical approach:
- Aim to eat fatty fish regularly when possible.
- If you use a supplement, check the actual EPA + DHA per serving.
- Choose a product that is third-party tested for quality and purity.
For general health, food first is still the preferred strategy.
Final Verdict
For a long time, studies and research have shown that fish oil can be quite beneficial for you. Whether it be for athletic performance or everyday living, fish oil provides those much-needed nutrients that are hard to find. Since your body cannot produce omega-3 fatty acids, it is imperative you get them from either a supplement or food incorporated into your diet by taking any dietary supplement.
The benefits are immense from boosting athletic performance, to promoting heart health, to improving mood, all of which play a role in having an efficient and effective workout to lose fat and build muscle. For bodybuilders who deplete their bodies of much needed nutrients to accomplish the goal of big gains and that toned physique, it is vital to use a supplement to re-charge the system. Fish oil is a great way to do so and is the perfect supplement to add into your daily routine.
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*Images courtesy of Envato
References
- Jouris, Kelly B.; McDaniel, Jennifer L.; Weiss, Edward P. (2011). “The effect of Omega-3 Fatty Acid Supplementation on the Inflammatory Response to eccentric strength exercise”. (source)
- Du, Shichun; Jin, Jie; Fang, Wenjun; Su, Qing (2015). “Does Fish Oil Have an Anti-Obesity Effect in Overweight/Obese Adults? A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials”. (source)
- Roeder, Amy (2019). “Omega-3 fish oil rises to top in analysis of studies”. (source)
- Su, Kuan-Pin; Matsuoka, Yutaka; Pae, Chi-Un (2015). “Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids in Prevention of Mood and Anxiety Disorders”. (source)
