The Effects of Omega-3 Status and Supplementation on Tendon Structure in Competitive Athletes

The Effects of Omega-3 Status and Supplementation on Tendon Structure and Recovery From Sports Injuries in Competitive Athletes

The study will examine the association between omega-3 status and the effects of omega-3 supplementation on changes in tendon structure and recovery from tendon injuries and inflammatory markers in competitive athletes. Half of the participants will receive omega-3 in combination with vitamin E, while the other half will receive a placebo and vitamin E.

Sports injuries are common among athletes, while injury prevention received much clinical attention, there is no consensus among clinicians and researchers as to which injury-causing factors are dominant. It has been suggested that increased training load may be the leading cause of sports injuries, since tendons are sensitive to changes in load, making them vulnerable to injury. Inflammation is one of the reversible risk factors to sports injuries, and there are numerous methods which are used to treat inflammation. It has been recently suggested that inflammation reactions are affected by Omega-3 status and that omega-3 deficiency may increase the risk of sports and tendon injuries. The omega-3 fatty acid may act as a regulator of membrane structure and function, intracellular signaling pathways, transcription factor activity, and gene expression and reducing inflammation. Due to these functions, omega-3 may influence exercise-induced injuries/inflammation in athletes, thus, may influence their health and allowing training.

Inclusion Criteria:

Part one:

• Training for at least 5 hours per week.
• No complaints about lower extremities pains during the last 12 months.

Part two:

• Training for at least 5 hours per week.
• Diagnosed with patellar and Achilles tendinitis.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Underwent lower extremities surgeries.
• Allergic to Fish products.
• Athletes who use anti-inflammatory drugs and/or omega-3 supplements.
• Pregnant and/or nursing mothers.