Fish oil is all the rage these days, but does it actually have a place as a bodybuilding supplement? If you want to learn how to use fish oil for bodybuilding (the right way!), then you’ll want to read this…
Everyone from Dr. Oz to Oprah to bodybuilding champs rave about fish oil.
Can it really be the magical weight loss, muscle-building, life-preserving supplement it’s cracked up to be?
Spoiler alert: It can…but not quite as dramatically as “health gurus” would have you believe…
Fish oil supplementation does have some pretty impressive benefits for bodybuilding purposes—again, not magically powerful or life-changing, but scientific evidence shows fish oil can promote lean muscle mass, fat burn, and other awesome health perks.
Just remember, fish oil is a supplement.
That means it does not do it for you, but, on top of a healthy diet and exercise program, fish oil can accelerate progress towards your goals.
In this article, I’m going to show you exactly what fish oil is, how it helps with bodybuilding, clinically effective dosages, and the best fish oil supplements you can trust to deliver real results.
First, what is fish oil?
WHAT IS FISH OIL?
Simple.
Fish oil is exactly what it sounds like—oil that comes from fish.
The fats in these fish contain an awesome source of EPA and DHA, but you’d have to eat a tish-load of fish each week to get the clinically effective dose of EPA and DHA.
So what’s the hype around EPA and DHA?
EPA and DHA are commonly known as “omega-3 fatty acids.” These are “essential fatty acids,” meaning our bodies can’t produce them…meaning you have to obtain them through your diet…also meaning if you don’t you’ll die.
Now, some vegetable oils, grass-fed meat, and even free-range eggs contain omega-3 nutrients, but they don’t contain enough for you to realistically consume an effective amount.
WHY YOU SHOULD USE FISH OIL FOR BODYBUILDING
Research shows that obtaining the clinically effective dosage of fish oil can lead to some incredible bodybuilding benefits:
Accelerate Fat Burn and Weight Loss
Increased Appetite
Build Muscle Faster by Enhancing Muscle Protein Synthesis
Decrease Muscle Loss
Reduce Muscle Soreness
Improve Your Skeletal Muscle Health
Boosts Mood
Pretty impressive list, eh?
But don’t just take my word for it—take a look at how scientific evidence supports these fish oil bodybuilding benefits!
TOP 7 FISH OIL BODYBUILDING BENEFITS
1. ACCELERATE FAT BURN AND WEIGHT LOSS
Fish oil supplementation has been shown to reduce waist size and burn fat. And this study was on a fairly low-protein diet, meaning you may be able to accelerate fat loss even quicker on an optimized weight loss diet.
And fat loss is a byproduct of other fish oil benefits: improved circulation and muscle gain lead to better workouts, and better workouts lead to greater fat burn.
Another study found just six weeks of fish oil 6g/day led to “significantly increased lean mass and decreased fat mass.”
2. INCREASE APPETITE
Another way fish oil supplementation can help with weight loss is by increasing your appetite.
How could that help, you ask?
I’ll use myself as an example. I typically lift 45-60 minutes a day and run 3-5 miles 5 times a week—that means I’m burning a ton of calories! But the problem is, I don’t have much of an appetite. I really struggle to consume the necessary amount of calories each day.
That’s where fish oil can help! By increasing my appetite, I can eat the calories my body needs to perform, repair, and grow.
3. BUILD MUSCLE FASTER BY ENHANCING MUSCLE PROTEIN SYNTHESIS
Omega-3 fatty acids have been proven to have “anabolic properties in healthy young and middle-aged adults.”
These fatty acids enhance muscle protein synthesis, an essential process for building muscle.
No, supplementing with fish oil alone won’t cause muscle growth, but paired with a proper workout program, fish oil can help you build muscle faster.
4. DECREASE MUSCLE LOSS
A study found that fish oil supplementation can help protect against muscle loss. This could be very helpful in a couple of scenarios:
Decrease muscle loss when workouts are impaired or stopped during injury.
Preserve lean muscle while on intense cuts.
5. REDUCE MUSCLE SORENESS
Omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to “reduce delayed-onset soreness (DOMS) caused by strenuous strength exercise.”
By decreasing muscle soreness, you can work out more frequently, accelerating muscle hypertrophy.
Also…heavylifting while sore just sucks—so decreasing it is a huge benefit.
6. IMPROVE YOUR SKELETAL MUSCLE HEALTH
Fish oil may also improve your skeletal muscle health, which can help improve your metabolism.
Your skeletal muscle health is important in blood glucose processing, so healthy skeletal muscles will help you sustain stable blood glucose levels. This helps with your metabolism.
7. BOOSTS BRAIN PERFORMANCE AND MOOD
A number of studies show fish oil to be a promising brain-boosting supplement in the following ways:
Improve memory and attention
Decrease reaction time
Can improve symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress
FISH OIL SIDE EFFECTS TO WATCH OUT FOR
If you’re taking fish oil at the recommended clinically effective dosage, you shouldn’t have any problems.
But there’s ONE situation you should be very careful with…
Fish oil has been proven to reduce blood clotting, and therefore should not be taken if you’re currently taking any blood-thinning medication.
SCIENCE-BACKED FISH OIL FOR BODYBUILDING DOSAGE
The proper fish oil dosage depends on the intent.
For bodybuilding purposes, the clinically effective dosage is between 3 to 5 grams per day.
You can avoid the “fish oil burps” by either taking fish oil supplements with a meal or by taking smaller doses throughout the day.
THE BEST FISH OIL SUPPLEMENTS FOR BODYBUILDING
Not all supplements are created equally.
As typical with supplements, most fish oil products are a complete waste of money.
Here’s what you need to look for in the best fish oil supplements for bodybuilding:
Contains clinically effective dosages (or at least realistic amounts per capsule so you don’t need to consume 10+ per day for bodybuilding benefits)
Uses oil from fish less likely to contain harmful pollutants
Is 100% reesterified triglyceride form
Don’t cost a fortune
Reliable brand
I dug through all the crappy products and found a few fish oil supplements that meet the criteria…
LEGION — TRITON FISH OIL
Triton only costs $35 per bottle and delivers 120 capsules of 600 milligrams of omega-3 fatty acids.
This fish oil contains superior reesterified triglyceride omega-3s, not cheap crap.
Triton is sourced from deepwater Peruvian anchovies and sardines fish that are low in harmful pollutants and are caught by sustainable means.
If you want to gain all the benefits fish oil can provide for bodybuilding, then Triton is by far the best fish oil supplement.
JYM — OMEGA JYM
Omega JYM provides 750mg of EPA and 750mg of DHA per serving (two softgels per serving). That’s a little less than a capsule of Triton but more than most competitors.
At 120 pills for $24.99, Omega JYM delivers a whole lot of high-quality fish oil for your buck.
If you want huge doses of fish oil from a transparent, reliable brand, then Omega JYM is an amazing option!
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