Sore Muscles Improved With The Help Of Omega-3s

There's nothing quite like finishing up leg day, walking like Bambi. Then, as if that wasn't enough, we wake up the next morning with even more sore muscles than the day before.

While some muscle soreness is perfectly normal and part of the training adaptation, there's certainly a fine line. Especially if it's after a game with another one coming up again soon. Recovery is the key and omega-3s could help speed things up.

The first thing to discuss though is what omega-3s are! Omega-3s are fatty acids most commonly found in fatty fish. This is why you hear the recommendation so often to eat fish three times per week. These fats are great at helping to reduce inflammation as this study showed.

Why focus on inflammation for sore muscles?

Inflammation can be a good thing in limited quantities because that is what helps us improve our workouts and strength over time. Exercise beats our body up a bit causing an increasing in inflammation. Our body then is forced to have to control that new inflammation and bring it back down. Regular exposure to this helps our body to be able to handle that inflammation and workload allowing us to get strong and train even harder.

Too much inflammation and muscle breakdown though causes really sore muscles. This is because our body can't handle the amount of inflammation and breakdown that is occurring. The fun part is, the soreness usually doesn't peak until about two or three days after the event. Why have just one day of fun right?

In moments where we have quick turnarounds and need to perform optimally the next day (ie. tournaments) this is bad news. Muscle soreness, decreased range of motion and decreased strength is the exact opposite of what we are wanting. Having a good recovery strategy in place could be the key difference for you in these moments.

Maximize the recovery time you have

For optimal recovery the fundamentals will always be there; good sleep, hydration, fruit & vegetables, adequate protein, good fats and in case you missed it the first time...sleep! But omega-3s can certainly help provide a boost to maximize things.

Eating fatty fish (ie. wild caught salmon) is great but if not a fan of eating fish, a quality fish oil supplement would be worth looking into. Generally, 2-5 grams per day is perfect depending on the situation.

Enjoy your omega-3s, you will thank yourself later!