Sarcopenia, the loss of muscle mass and function with age, reduces mobility and quality of life. Many of the diseases that are associated with sarcopenia (e.g., cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, health failure, and type 2 diabetes) are known to involve severe inflammation. Findings of a new report demonstrate an improvement in muscle mass and strength following supplementation with anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids.

Muscles require growth hormones to maintain their mass; however, in sarcopenia, inflammation reduces muscle tissue’s ability to grow in response to insulin. Long-chain omega-3 fatty acids, such as eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), have powerful anti-inflammatory effects. EPA and DHA reduce the production of pro-inflammatory eicosanoid compounds and increase the production of anti-inflammatory and pro-resolving compounds. Previous research exploring the effects of omega-3 supplementation in patients with sarcopenia uses a wide range of methods, making the evidence difficult to evaluate.

The authors conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to determine the effects of omega-3s on muscle mass, volume, and function. They searched existing literature for relevant trials, rated them for risk of bias, and selected a set of high-quality studies. The authors combined data from these studies and reanalyzed it, taking into account variations in design, omega-3 dose, and methods used to measure muscle.

Supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids significantly increased lean body mass, skeletal muscle mass, and strength of the quadricep muscles, which are vital for good mobility. Specifically, omega-3s improved quadriceps maximal voluntary contraction, a measure of the amount of tension a muscle can generate. With one exception, all studies used EPA and DHA supplements (one used only alpha linoleic acid) ranging from 102 to more than 4,000 milligrams. Interestingly, the authors did not find a relationship between dose and effectiveness. They believe this is caused by variations in study design and methods. The data revealed that even low-dose omega-3 supplementation was sufficient to increase lean body mass.

These data demonstrate the efficacy of omega-3 supplementation in improving sarcopenia-related outcomes. The authors suggested that future studies explore the effects of a range of omega-3 doses on muscle mass and function.

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