Research
Hormonal
Omega-3 fatty acid supplementation (EPA/DHA) potentiates muscle protein synthesis and increases lean mass/strength in older adults, particularly when baseline protein intake is suboptimal.
Older adults aiming to build or maintain muscle should consider supplementing with 1.86g EPA and 1.50g DHA daily. This is most effective if your overall protein intake is not already maximized, as omega-3s help sensitize muscle to protein stimulation. Ensure you are getting adequate protein from food as well.
GoodSupportsHIGH confidence
Smith and colleagues conducted two studies in younger (17) and older (16) human adults that assessed the influence of 8 weeks of omega-3 fatty acid supplementation (1.86 g/d of EPA and 1.50 g/d DHA)... in response to the hyper-aminoacidemic-hyper-insulinemic infusion, there was a potentiation of mixed MPS compared to before supplementation... 6 months of 1.86 g/d of EPA and 1.50 g/d DHA supplementation lead to a significant increase in lean mass and clinically-relevant gains in muscle volume and muscle strength in older adults in a free-living environment.
Why this rating
Based on human RCTs and free-living studies, though some conflicting studies exist.
Source
The Influence of Omega-3 Fatty Acids on Skeletal Muscle Protein Turnover in Health, Disuse, and Disease
Chris McGlory et al. · Frontiers in Nutrition · 2019
DOI 10.3389/fnut.2019.00144
narrative_reviewCited 209×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
More from this paper
- Omega-3 fatty acid supplementation attenuates muscle loss and accelerates recovery during periods of muscle disuse (immobilization) in young women.Moderate
- Omega-3 fatty acid supplementation does not enhance muscle protein synthesis in young men who are already consuming adequate protein and performing resistance exercise.Moderate
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