Muscle Recovery After Omega-3 Supplementation

NCT07237113 | Completed DMC

• 1 other identifier: 020/2021
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 30
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

In recent decades, omega-3 eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) have been proposed as potential therapeutic agents for minimizing muscle damage induced by eccentric exercise, especially when supplementation is long-term (\> 6 weeks) and at high doses (\> 1 g/d). However, no study has analyzed whether these effects are mediated by an increase in oxylipins (metabolites derived from EPA and DHA), which play an essential role in the muscle regeneration process. The objective of the present study is to determine the effect of eight weeks of high-dose omega-3 fatty acid supplementation on blood oxylipin levels and their association with muscle function and markers of muscle damage after high-intensity eccentric exercise in young men.

Conditions

Damage Muscle

Keywords

omega-3; oxylipins; exercise-induced muscle damage; specialized pro-resolving mediators

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

• Maximum isometric voluntary contraction strength loss

  Change in MVC strength loss 0, 2, 24, 48, and 72 hours after.

  Pre and post intervention (8 weeks)

• Plasma oxylipins

  Levels of plasma oxylipins

  Pre and post intervention (8 weeks)

Secondary Outcomes (8)

• Peak aerobic capacity

  Pre and post intervention (8 weeks)

• Dietary assessment

  Pre and post intervention (8 weeks)

• Fatty acid composition

  Pre and post intervention (8 weeks)

• Thigh circumference

  Pre and post intervention (8 weeks)

• Creatine kinase

  Pre and post intervention (8 weeks)

Study Arms (2)

Placebo control

PLACEBO COMPARATOR

The participants will be supplemented with 5 capsules per day of a placebo-filled gelatin capsule.

Dietary Supplement: Placebo

Omega-3

EXPERIMENTAL

The participants will be supplemented with 5 capsules per day of Omega UP (Newscience, Chile) equivalent to 2.5 g/d of DHA and 0.5 g/d of EPA.

Dietary Supplement: Omega

Interventions

Placebo DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

The participants will be supplemented with 5 capsules per day of a placebo-filled gelatin capsule for 8 weeks.

Placebo control

Omega DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

The participants will be supplemented with 5 capsules per day of Omega UP (Newscience, Chile), equivalent to 2.5 g/d of DHA and 0.5 g/d of EPA for 8 weeks

Omega-3

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 40 Years
• Sex: male
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• Healthy male participants between 18 and 40 years

You may not qualify if:

• Participants must not have performed regular strength training during the 6 months prior to the start of the study.
• Participants must also not be taking medications that affect inflammation or cardiovascular responses to exercise and must have a BMI of less than 30 kg/m2.
• Participants must not consume fish more than twice a week and must not have taken any omega-3 supplements for three months prior to the study or be allergic to fish.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Instituto de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad de O'Higgins: lead
• Universidad Nacional Andres Bello: collaborator
• University of Manitoba: collaborator

Study Sites (1)

Universidad de O'Higgins

Rancagua, Libertador Bernardo O'Higgins, 2820000, Chile

Location

Related Publications (11)

• Penailillo L, Blazevich A, Numazawa H, Nosaka K. Metabolic and muscle damage profiles of concentric versus repeated eccentric cycling. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2013 Sep;45(9):1773-81. doi: 10.1249/MSS.0b013e31828f8a73.

  PMID: 23475167 RESULT

• Lv ZT, Zhang JM, Zhu WT. Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid Supplementation for Reducing Muscle Soreness after Eccentric Exercise: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Biomed Res Int. 2020 Apr 20;2020:8062017. doi: 10.1155/2020/8062017. eCollection 2020.

  PMID: 32382573 RESULT

• Levy BD, Clish CB, Schmidt B, Gronert K, Serhan CN. Lipid mediator class switching during acute inflammation: signals in resolution. Nat Immunol. 2001 Jul;2(7):612-9. doi: 10.1038/89759.

  PMID: 11429545 RESULT

• Gabbs M, Leng S, Devassy JG, Monirujjaman M, Aukema HM. Advances in Our Understanding of Oxylipins Derived from Dietary PUFAs. Adv Nutr. 2015 Sep 15;6(5):513-40. doi: 10.3945/an.114.007732. Print 2015 Sep.

  PMID: 26374175 RESULT

• Markworth JF, Maddipati KR, Cameron-Smith D. Emerging roles of pro-resolving lipid mediators in immunological and adaptive responses to exercise-induced muscle injury. Exerc Immunol Rev. 2016;22:110-34.

  PMID: 26853678 RESULT

• Tsuchiya Y, Yanagimoto K, Nakazato K, Hayamizu K, Ochi E. Eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acids-rich fish oil supplementation attenuates strength loss and limited joint range of motion after eccentric contractions: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group trial. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2016 Jun;116(6):1179-88. doi: 10.1007/s00421-016-3373-3. Epub 2016 Apr 16.

  PMID: 27085996 RESULT

• Ramos-Campo DJ, Avila-Gandia V, Lopez-Roman FJ, Minarro J, Contreras C, Soto-Mendez F, Domingo Pedrol JC, Luque-Rubia AJ. Supplementation of Re-Esteri fi ed Docosahexaenoic and Eicosapentaenoic Acids Reduce Inflammatory and Muscle Damage Markers after Exercise in Endurance Athletes: A Randomized, Controlled Crossover Trial. Nutrients. 2020 Mar 9;12(3):719. doi: 10.3390/nu12030719.

  PMID: 32182747 RESULT

• Gerling CJ, Mukai K, Chabowski A, Heigenhauser GJF, Holloway GP, Spriet LL, Jannas-Vela S. Incorporation of Omega-3 Fatty Acids Into Human Skeletal Muscle Sarcolemmal and Mitochondrial Membranes Following 12 Weeks of Fish Oil Supplementation. Front Physiol. 2019 Mar 29;10:348. doi: 10.3389/fphys.2019.00348. eCollection 2019.

  PMID: 30984028 RESULT

• BLIGH EG, DYER WJ. A rapid method of total lipid extraction and purification. Can J Biochem Physiol. 1959 Aug;37(8):911-7. doi: 10.1139/o59-099. No abstract available.

  PMID: 13671378 RESULT

• MORRISON WR, SMITH LM. PREPARATION OF FATTY ACID METHYL ESTERS AND DIMETHYLACETALS FROM LIPIDS WITH BORON FLUORIDE--METHANOL. J Lipid Res. 1964 Oct;5:600-8. No abstract available.

  PMID: 14221106 RESULT

• Gabbs M, Zahradka P, Taylor CG, Aukema HM. Time Course and Sex Effects of alpha-Linolenic Acid-Rich and DHA-Rich Supplements on Human Plasma Oxylipins: A Randomized Double-Blind Crossover Trial. J Nutr. 2021 Mar 11;151(3):513-522. doi: 10.1093/jn/nxaa294.

  PMID: 33097936 RESULT

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: DOUBLE
• Who Masked: PARTICIPANT, INVESTIGATOR
• Masking Details: The masking process will ensure that both the participants and the investigators involved in the study remain unaware of the treatment assignments throughout the entire duration of the study. A unique identification code will be assigned to each participant upon enrollment, which conceals their treatment allocation. The allocation sequence will be generated by a person not directly involved in the study. The capsules in the experimental intervention and the control treatment, will be packaged identically to maintain visual similarity. The packaging materials and labeling will be designed to be indistinguishable between the two groups. In addition, all outcome assessments and data collection procedures will be performed by personnel who are blinded to the treatments
• Purpose: BASIC SCIENCE
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Associate Professor

Model Details: Participants will be randomly assigned in a double-blind manner to two supplementation groups: (a) placebo (yellow maltodextrin) or (b) omega-3 (EPA and DHA). Prior to the start of the supplementation period, participants will undergo venous blood sampling, indirect markers of muscle damage testing, oxygen consumption testing, and the eccentric exercise protocol on one leg (6 sets of 10 repetitions at 80% of 1 repetition maximum). Immediately after, 1, 2, 24, 48, 72, and 96 hours after the eccentric exercise session, muscle damage will be assessed, and venous blood samples will be obtained. The following day, participants will begin their 8-week supplementation protocol with omega-3 or a placebo. After the supplementation period, participants will perform the same tests as at the beginning and will perform the eccentric exercise session on the opposite leg.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: November 14, 2025
• First Posted: November 19, 2025
• Study Start: September 1, 2021
• Primary Completion: September 1, 2023
• Study Completion: September 1, 2024
• Last Updated: November 19, 2025

Record last verified: 2021-08

Locations

CL (1)