International Omega-3 Learning and Education Consortium for Health and Medicine

The most recent global estimates (2005) from the World Health Organization state that 1.6 billion adults are overweight with at least 400 million adults classified as obese. Obesity is associated with various conditions such as heart disease, sleep apnea, joint problems and diabetes. Diet and exercise are cornerstones of obesity management as less energy in/more energy out promotes weight loss. Research shows that omega-3 fatty acids are beneficial in the conditions listed above and emerging research demonstrates their potential for obesity management and exercise.

Oils from marine sources containing omega-3 fatty acids, such as eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), have been shown to improve satiety in overweight and obese volunteers. Obese women with type-2 diabetes given a mixture of EPA and DHA for 2 months had reduced cardiovascular disease markers, less body fat and smaller fat cells. A key study that compared calorierestricted diets without any fish product to those containing fish or supplemental fish oil found that weight loss was greater with the inclusion of either source of fish products. Subjects in this study were young, overweight men whom were observed for 8 weeks. These studies suggest that omega-3 fatty acids help reduce fat stores, and ultimately, promote weight loss.

We all know that exercise is beneficial for overall health; however, sticking with an exercise routine is often challenging due to lack of observed immediate results, fatigue, or soreness. A recent study found that healthy, untrained men who consumed fish oil for 30 days had less muscle soreness and inflammation after a 40-minute bout of exercise compared to men who took a placebo. Fish oil supplementation or fish intake, when combined with exercise, has also been shown to benefit individuals at risk for heart disease by reducing resting blood pressure and triglyceride levels beyond what could be achieved by exercise alone.

Findings from research on the heart health benefits of including omega-3 fatty acids in a weight-loss regimen as well as combining with exercise are encouraging. However, most of these studies were small in scale and used different measurements and types of exercise to assess the effects of omega-3 fatty acid intake. While these studies suggest a benefit for improved weight loss and exercise outcomes, continued research on specific populations will help individuals achieve the most from omega-3 fatty acids.