The study, published in Clinical Nutrition ESPEN by Iranian scientists, showed omega-3 has “slightly superior effects” on cardiometabolic health markers compared to exercise alone.
While the individual benefits of omega-3 and exercise have been widely studied and accepted, the current study is reportedly the first comprehensive meta-analysis to assess their combined effects.
Researchers from the Department of Sport Sciences at the University of Kashan and the Faculty of Sport Sciences at Urmia University set out to discover the combined effects on body composition and cardiometabolic outcomes, including lipid and glycemic profiles, blood pressure and inflammation.
They described the effects as “modest,” noting that the lack of significant findings on some measures limited their enthusiasm for prescribing the supplement to improve body composition and many cardiometabolic health markers.
However, they acknowledged the limitations of small sample sizes and called for further research.
Omega-3 and exercise
Recently, the International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN) published its position on omega-3. The ISSN highlighted its benefits for cardiovascular function, strength and recovery during exercise and noted that athletes may be at risk for omega-3 deficiency.
Experts recommend exercise to improve body composition, and omega-3 has previously been associated with positive effects on fat oxidation, thermogenesis and reducing food intake.
However, based on their findings, the current researchers noted that “given that exercise can improve body composition, n-3 PUFAs supplementation may not add further stimulation of muscle protein synthesis or fat oxidation.”
The authors also commented on the anti-inflammatory properties of omega-3 in exercise, noting that the combination reduced TNF-α “that may be important, since TNF-α contributes to the progression of CVDs and metabolic diseases such as diabetes mellitus.”
Study details
The systematic review and meta-analysis searched the literature for studies comparing omega-3 plus exercise training with exercise alone. The meta-analysis included 21 studies involving 673 participants, with BMIs ranging from 24 to 37 kg.m2 and ages 30 to 70.
Combined omega-3 and exercise decreased fat mass by 1.05 kg, triglycerides, blood pressure and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), and increased LDL cholesterol and lower-body muscular strength.
However, the combination did not change body weight, BMI, body fat percentage or lean body mass. Further, the supplement did not benefit glycemic markers, total and HDL cholesterol, interleukin-6 or upper-body muscular strength.
Source: Clinical Nutrition ESPEN. doi: 10.1016/j.clnesp.2025.01.022. “The combined effects of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid supplementation and exercise training on body composition and cardiometabolic health in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis”. Authors: M. Khalafi et al.