Fish oil is one supplement that can boost performance in and out of the gym.
The supplement market is saturated with so many options to help boost athletic performance and bodybuilding training, but fish oil is one of those popular supplements to aid in your overall health that must be in your dietary regiment. As a great source of omega 3s, fish oil and the health benefits it possesses should be placed into your diet to help you really see gains with fish and other omega 3 oils and supplements.
Of course, as a bodybuilder, it is important to maintain a careful diet and strict exercise to see those big gains come to life for your bodybuilding goals, but supplements like fish oil are simple ways to provide energy and nutrients to optimize your health and wellness and shouldn’t be overlooked. Fish oil is one that will prove to be effective for your weightlifting and rehab needs without feeling forced to search for the right nutrients.
Having a one stop shop for your health and wellness needs is a great way to help ensure immune health and other bodily functions are covered well with fish oil no matter what your needs may be with fish oil supplements, bodybuilding goals, and performance.
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
Increased Recovery Time
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.
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.
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).
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?
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.
Some foods 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
Wrap Up
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)