After intense exercise, your muscles may become sore or swollen. Everyone from elite athletes to grandmothers have to recover after physical activity. Wear or damage to your muscles may cause them to become inflamed, a biological process responsible for pain and swelling. Taking fish oil may help reduce post-exercise muscle inflammation, although research is not yet conclusive.
What is Inflammation?
Cells of your immune system act as your body's garbage collectors. When part of you body is damaged, your blood vessels allow immune cells through to fight off pathogens and remove waste. You will notice swelling and heat in the inflamed area as fluid from your blood leaks along with the immune cells. This process normally lasts only a few days and rapidly shuts down once damage is repaired.
Post-Exercise Inflammation
Waste from energy production and broken proteins occurs in your muscles during exercise, especially at high intensity. This results in inflamed muscles that are hot, swollen and sore as well as temporarily weaker. This reaction is mediated by immune signals called cytokines that initiate inflammation. Although temporary, inflammation is important for muscle recovery, but it can be detrimental if left unchecked.
About Fish Oil
You probably aren't getting enough of the omega-3 fatty acids that you could get from fish oil. Omega-3 fatty acids are essential nutrients that your body cannot produce itself. In addition to other functions, omega-3 fatty acids are used to produce signals your body uses to reduce inflammation. According to "Today's Dietitian," an e-newsletter from Hawthorn University, an online nutrition school, omega-3 fatty acids are known to reduce levels of inflammatory cytokines that are associated with muscle inflammation.
Effectiveness
Research from the University of Florida has found that a mix of the omega-3 fatty acid DHA, docosahexaenoic acid, reduced markers of inflammation in untrained males when mixed with other nutrients. However, other studies have found little effect of fish oil on post-exercise muscle inflammation. Omega-3 fatty acids are known to increase blood flow during exercise. It may be necessary to take fish oil regularly, rather that just after exercise, in order to experience benefits.
Safety
According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, healthy adults can take up to 3 g of fish oil without a doctor's supervision. However, to be safe, be sure to check with your doctor before taking fish oil, as it can interfere with medications and worsen some medical conditions. Don't combine fish oil with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, NSAIDs, or blood thinners, as fish oil inhibits blood clotting. The fats in fish oil may decrease the absorption of medicine or supplements taken at the same time.
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