Often people take Omega-3s because they hear it is really good for their health and for the heart. According the American Heart Association the omegas should be keeping the arteries clear and reducing the triglyceride levels. In the standard american diet (SAD) we consume way too many Omega-6s and while the ratio of Omega-6s to Omega-3s should be almost 1:1, in reality our unhealthy diets deliver up to 18-26:1 ratios. That’s pretty scary.
The body cannot make Omega-3s on its own. You should include flax seeds, chia seeds, avocados and nuts (or fish, if you are not a plant-based athlete) into your diet to supply Omega-3s through nutrition. However…
Omega 3s come in three types: eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), and alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). Long-chain fatty acids, EPA and DHA, are found in fish, fish oil supplements, and algae extract. The short-chain form, ALA, is found in plant sources like nuts, flax seed, chia seeds, avocado, and olive oil.
“Your body can only use the long-chain omega 3s, though. So, to make use of other forms, it converts ALA into EPA and then into DHA. Unfortunately, this process is anything but efficient. In men, only about 5 percent of the ALA consumed converts into EPA and less than 1 percent of EPA converts into DHA”, says Jim White, spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics.
If you feel like you are not getting enough Omega-3 sources, or the balance of 6s to 3s is off, you should seriously think about supplementing with Omega-3s.
How do you know if you need them?
Sometimes it is hard to tell, but the easiest way is to try and see if you get better results. The following are the great benefits of supplementing with Omega-3s:
Faster Recovery
Omega-3s are powerful anti-inflammatory compounds that help to repair the muscles that have microscopic tears after training. This repair and healing will make you stronger, faster and bigger.
You Get Stronger
Omega-3s decrease muscle breakdown as well as they increase protein synthesis. During this process the body transform the protein that you eat into the building blocks of your muscles.
Diminished Muscle Soreness
Omega-3s’ anti-inflammatory property speeds up the healing and reduces the levels of perceived pain in the 48 hours after exercise, according to one Clinical Journal of Sports Medicine study. With other words, you don’t get that horrible soreness that makes you to walk gingerly after your leg workouts with me. 🙂
Faster Reaction Time
The Omega-3s improve cognitive functioning and play a major role in visual processing and signaling, according to research in Taiwan. The human brain is nearly 60% fat. Another study shows that athletes dramatically improved their reaction time after only 4 weeks of Omega-3 supplementation. On the tennis court, even so small difference in better reaction can make that serve return a winner!
Reduce Overuse Injuries
Omega-3s decreases inflammation, boost blood flow and oxygen flow to the muscles, prevent tissue degradation and speed up recovery. The range of motion increases and the joint pain decreases. Your body is more “preserved” and hopefully avoiding any unpleasant overuse injuries in the future.
Improved Neuromuscular Function
Omega-3s in body’s nerve endings, neurons and muscle membranes help to transfer the signals from one cell to another. One study showed that the function of quadriceps (front of the leg) increased by 20% when supplementing with Omega-3s! Wow. And there was much less muscle fatigue. You will run faster and stronger on the court, and will last longer too.
Lean Body Weight
Adequate levels of Omega-3s in your body allow your body to better burn fat for energy during the exercise. This will over time reduce the excess of body fat. You can see visible and feel-able results in only 6 weeks after starting supplementing with Omega-3s. You will be lighter, and run faster on the court. By being lighter, there will be less stress on your tendons, ligaments, joints and muscles and you will feel better overall.
Allow for Higher Intensity Training
Omega-3s decrease heart rate and the amount of oxygen your body burns. This becomes very significant in your long tennis matches. Your body needs less oxygen than your opponent, and it takes less energy to run around the tennis court.
Stronger Bones, Fewer Acute Injuries
Research published in Current Pharmaceutical Design suggests that Omega-3s may increase your body’s level of calcium absorption and thus mediate bone growth, and thus prevent brittle bones.
Not all Omega-3s are the same.
The majority of my athletes and many of my readers have been using the Athlete’s Best Omega-3 Plus supplement. It is the highest quality and the most effective Omega-3 supplement on the market today.
It was released over 3 years ago after spending over 11 months of perfecting the formula for maximum benefits and sourcing ingredients of the highest quality. The entire manufacturing process is the purest in the industry. Only positive reviews are coming in and the athletes just rave about the difference the Omega-3 Plus have made in their lives. (Please, note that they are not vegan, if you wonder…)
If your diet is far from perfect, you will see huge results almost immediately. The closer to perfection in your diet you are, you may need to be more patient to see the results, but you definitely will.
For my readers, The Athlete’s Best generously offers 10% discount on your order. Use FALL10 coupon at the check out.
And don’t forget to email me and tell me how you feel after a few weeks of supplementing with Omega-3 Plus.
Stay strong, fast, and awesome!
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