The randomized, crossover, placebo-controlled, double-blind study conducted by authors in Iran and Jordan aimed to address existing research gaps and provide actionable strategies for optimizing recovery for females in high-intensity sports.
“These findings underscore the potential of omega-3 and whey protein supplementation to support recovery and performance readiness in high-intensity sports, particularly for female athletes,” the authors wrote in the journal Nutrients.
“They also offer practical applications for optimizing recovery strategies in sports.”
Enhancing muscle recovery in futsal
Futsal, a football-based sport played on a hard court, requires tactical, technical and physical skill. It has a high injury rate: High-force eccentric contractions or unfamiliar exercises contribute to delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), reducing muscle strength and range of motion (ROM).
The repetitive actions involved in play can lead to exercise-induced muscle damage (EIMD), causing pain, inflammation, reduced muscle power and restricted ROM, driving the need for effective recovery strategies.
Omega-3 fatty acids—especially DHA and EPA—can support cell membrane integrity and reduce inflammation by modulating pathways and cytokines. Research has found that omega-3s may enhance recovery from strenuous exercise by reducing inflammation and oxidative stress.
Female athletes often have suboptimal omega-3 intake, which may impair recovery, highlighting a gap in understanding its specific impacts on this group.
WP is known to support muscle repair, strength and recovery after intense exercise. By combining omega-3 and WP, the authors aimed to enhance muscle recovery by synergistically promoting protein synthesis through pathways like mTOR and stabilizing omega-3 bioavailability.
Boosting strength and recovery in female athletes
The researchers recruited 15 female futsal players from the Shiraz Premier Women’s Futsal League through voluntary participation, all with at least five years of futsal experience and consistent sleep habits.
The authors employed a strategy to assess the effect of supplementation before and after exercise-induced muscle damage (EIMD) on lower-body strength, explosive power and DOMS.
Participants completed pre-EIMD supplementation, post-EIMD supplementation and placebo consumption, each session separated by one-week washout periods. Each session included functional and muscle soreness tests conducted during the follicular phase of participants' menstrual cycles to minimize hormonal influence.
Participants consumed 1000 mg fish oil (500 mg EPA, 100 mg DHA) and 30 g whey protein two hours pre-EIMD or within two hours post-EIMD. The placebo used contained starch and visually mimicked the supplement.
EIMD involved 200 vertical jumps with 15% body-weighted vests. Jump height, thigh swelling, pressure pain threshold, flexibility test, range of motion and average power were recorded 48 hours following.
The results showed that supplementation both before and after exercise led to improved vertical jump height (VJH) and muscle performance metrics in pre-exercise-induced muscle damage (pre-EIMD) conditions compared to placebo.
Supplementation also reduced inflammatory responses and DOMS, especially in pre-EIMD conditions. Participants also experienced less severe muscle swelling and lower inflammatory marker activity compared to post-EIMD and placebo groups.
In addition, the researchers observed improvements in muscle strength and power output under supplementation, aligning with the known anti-inflammatory effects of omega-3s and whey protein’s role in muscle protein synthesis.
Supplementation also effectively mitigated DOMS, particularly in the immediate 48 hours post-exercise, enhancing recovery and preparedness for subsequent physical activity.
“These findings underscore the supplements’ potential in optimizing training and performance for female futsal players,” the researchers wrote.
“Supplement timing may be critical for optimizing recovery and performance in high-demand sports.”
They did however note that future research should include larger, more diverse samples and extend supplementation duration in order to confirm and generalize the outcomes.
Source: Nutrients 2024, 16(24), 4263; doi: 10.3390/nu16244263
“Boosting Recovery: Omega-3 and Whey Protein Enhance Strength and Ease Muscle Soreness in Female Futsal Players.”
Authors: Ahmadi, M. et al.