Abstract
Abstract Introduction: Professional and recreational athletes make daily use of nutritional supplements to improve physical performance. Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) have been used in this sense. N-3 PUFA, particularly eicosapentaenoic (EPA) and docosahexaenoic (DHA) acids are involved in important physiological functions and the benefits of supplementation are demonstrated in several types of users. Shark liver oil (SLO) is a natural source of n-3 PUFA. Objective: To evaluate the effect of supplementation with SLO on contractility of skeletal muscles with different metabolic characteristics, soleus and extensor digitorum longus (EDL) from rats submitted to eight weeks of interval training of progressive intensity on a motorized treadmill. In the supplemented group, animals were supplemented with SLO (1 g/kg) five times a week for eight weeks. Method: Contractile parameters as maximum isometric twitch force (Tmax), maximum speed of force development (+dF/dt), maximum speed of force decrease (-dF/dt), maximum tetanic force (Fmax) and resistance to fatigue were analyzed in isolated muscle. Results: Compared to the control group, EDL muscles from the supplemented group reduced Tmax at the first (10.82 ± 0.89 vs 14.30 ± 0.67 mN/mm2. p < 0.01) and second minutes of experimentation (9.85 ± 0.63 vs 13.12 ± 0.70 mN/mm2. p < 0.01). However, it increased resistance to fatigue (22.80 ± 0.97 vs 18.60 ± 0.51 seconds. p = 0.005). Conclusion: No difference was observed in the soleus muscle.
Highlights
Professional and recreational athletes make daily use of nutritional supplements to improve physical performance
N-3 Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), eicosapentaenoic (EPA) and docosahexaenoic (DHA) acids are involved in important physiological functions and the benefits of supplementation are demonstrated in several types of users
N-3 PUFA, eicosapentaenoic (EPA) and docosahexaenoic (DHA) acids are involved in important physiological functions related to immunomodulatory [3, 4] and anti-inflammatory [5, 6] properties
Summary
Professional and recreational athletes make daily use of nutritional supplements to improve physical performance, increase hypertrophy, and reduce fatigue and the interval between training sessions. N-3 PUFA, eicosapentaenoic (EPA) and docosahexaenoic (DHA) acids are involved in important physiological functions related to immunomodulatory [3, 4] and anti-inflammatory [5, 6] properties. They can be found in marine sources such as oily fish, crustaceans and liver of lean fish that are rich in EPA and DHA. The benefits of supplementation were described to reduce dynapenia [10], improve muscle mass and function in general [11, 12]
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