Age and Ageing · Oct 31, 2026
Eight-week omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid supplementation alters but does not attenuate exercise-induced muscle damage in older adults: a randomised controlled trial
By Li D, Göger L, Krüger N et al.
BACKGROUND: Exercise-induced muscle damage (EIMD) serves as a model to study muscle plasticity and recovery. Exercise recovery declines with age, and while omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFA) exhibit inconsistent effects in younger adults, the effect in older adults is unknown. METHODS: In a double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial, 43 healthy, older women and men (65-85 years) ingested 5 mL of n-3 PUFA algae oil (2 g PUFA) or placebo for eight weeks. After eight weeks participants performed a bout of 10 × 10 eccentric-emphasised leg extensions. Outcome measures included quadriceps maximal voluntary contraction (MVC), muscle soreness, creatine kinase (CK) and inflammation (Interleukin-6, high-sensitive C-reactive protein; CRP) assessed at baseline and post-exercise. RESULTS: EIMD symptoms such as muscle soreness and function were modest and consistent with previous reports in older adults. Overall, n-3 PUFA supplementation did not improve functional recovery. However, a borderline greater MVC loss was observed in the n-3 PUFA group (time × group: P = .064), which resulted from significantly lower MVC in the n-3 PUFA group at 24 h (difference: -10.9%, 95%CI: -21.4;-0.40%, P = .042) and at 72 h (difference: -9.80, 95%CI: -18.3;-1.27, P = .025) post-exercise compared to the placebo. No significant overall group differences were observed for CK, interleukin-6, CRP, but CK concentrations significantly increased from baseline at 24 h post-exercise in the placebo group (change: +81.1%, 95%CI:10.5;152%, P = .014). Habitual physical activity and sex emerged as significant moderators of molecular recovery in an exploratory analysis. CONCLUSION: n-3 PUFA supplementation did not improve functional recovery, but different molecular response patterns were observed. Habitual physical activity and sex may be determinants of post-exercise response; this exploratory finding warrants confirmation in larger studies.