Pilot study examines effects of fish oil supplementation on muscle repair

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A recent preliminary study examined the possible effects of dietary fish oil on muscle repair after injury or due to aging¹. Discussing the slower rate at which muscles are repaired in older adults, researchers at the University of South Florida hypothesized that fish oil could help in muscle repair. The study, “Fish Oil Supplement Mitigates Muscle Injury In Vivo and In Vitro: A Preliminary Report,” was published in Nutrients in October 2024.

For the study, the researchers assigned adult (age about 8 months) and aged (age about 20 months) male and female rats into two groups, one receiving just a control diet, and the other receiving fish oil (33 g/kg) added to their diet for 8 weeks in addition to the control diet.

One week after a contusion injury, the aged rats in the control group experienced reduced recovery compared to the adult rats. Aged rats in the fish oil group, however, experienced recovery similar to the adult rats. Additionally, muscle membrane cells were cultured and examined after laser injury. The fish oil was found to enhance membrane resealing.

The fish oil used in the study was EPAX 4020TGN, which contains 45% EHA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and 10% DHA (docosahexaenoic acid). Epax is a Norwegian producer of concentrated marine oils. “These findings describe a novel means by which EPA and DHA supplementation can support muscle cell repair after injury, and help reduce the muscle decline that occurs as a result of aging,” stated Dr. Derek Tobin, clinical research manager at Epax, in a press release². “Additionally, in a sports nutrition context, they demonstrate the potential benefits of Omega-3 for the improvement of muscle recovery after hard training.”

Some limitations of the study included evaluating muscle function at only a single time point and the lack of studying the effect of fish oil in young rats. Ultimately, the researchers concluded that fish oil supplementation could aid in muscle membrane repair: “These data suggest that regular inclusion of fish oil in the diet may promote recovery from mechanical injury by enhancing membrane repair processes, though other effects of FO may be at work.” The researchers also noted more research is needed to see if therapeutic fish oil supplementation is needed after an injury or as part of normal diet.

References

1. Russ DW.; Sehested C.; Banford K.; Weisleder NL. Fish Oil Supplement Mitigates Muscle Injury In Vivo and In Vitro: A Preliminary Report. Nutrients. 2024. DOI:10.3390/nu16203511
2. Epax. Study indicates benefits of EPAX 4020TGN for muscle function and recovery. Dec 3, 2024. https://epax.prezly.com/study-indicates-benefits-of-epax-4020tgn-for-muscle-function-and-recovery (accessed Jan 3, 2025).