Research indicates taking fish oil is one of the best things you can do to improve your health. It has a wealth of benefits for everyone, and for hockey players it’s especially impressive. For those who have an allergy to fish or follow a vegan diet, the closest alternative is flax oil, but it is worth the consideration for hockey players who do take natural supplements to include taking fish oil supplements (of course, if you have any health concerns you should speak with your physician first).
Here are just a few of the reasons fish oil will benefit your hockey performance as well as your general health.
Muscle recovery
After performing any type of intensive and prolonged training or games, your muscles will experience both stress and damage resulting in increased inflammation. Fish oil helps to reduce that inflammation and aid in muscle recovery, ultimately decreasing muscle soreness and allowing you to get back to your routine quicker.
Improve lung performance
Studies on fish oil have shown that taking these supplements that are rich in omega-3 fatty acids help improve lung functioning both before and after exercise. Those who are performing at high intensity levels can see great benefits as the body actually demands more from the lungs, muscles, and brain during these types of athletic activities. Taking fish oil also improves blood flow and oxygen delivery during peak energy intervals.
Joint health
As we get older, good joint health becomes even more important, and especially for athletes. As we age, joints tend to lose their elasticity and flexibility and taking fish oil supplements can decrease joint pain, lessen morning stiffness, and increase hand grip strength. The omega-3 fatty acids benefit your body by decreasing the activity of the chemicals that destroy cartilage as well.
Lose fat
The more in shape you are, the better your athletic performance will be, and taking fish oil can actually help you lose fat, and even better, it helps to decrease abdominal fat. The DHA found in these supplements can prevent pre-fat cells from becoming fat cells by killing them. Ultimately, this helps support weight loss by decreasing the accumulation of fat in the body. They can also reprogram the genes so that carbohydrates are broken down by the body and not stored as fat.
Heart health
Of course most of us know fish oil supports heart health, and a healthy heart is imperative for athletes. Research has show that omega-3 fatty acids found in fish oil can decrease the likelihood of cardiovascular disease. Heart experts recommend that people at risk for or with coronary artery disease should consume about one gram of fish oil per day.
Some considerations when taking fish oil supplements
- Not all fish oil supplements are equal. Lower-grade fish oil supplements can be contaminated with heavy metals, dioxins, polychlorinated biphenols (PCBs), or other toxins. Pharmaceutical grade fish oils are purified and should contain negligible quantities of these toxins.
- Too much fish oil can lead to a reduced ability to clot blood and therefore increasing bleeding. However, a dose that would be “too much” has not yet been determined.
- Some people may experience negative gastrointestinal side effects from fish oil. These may be circumvented by consuming the supplements with meals.
To find out more about the benefits of Omega 3 review the below video. It is a long video that contains detailed facts for those interested in a more in depth knowledge
At all times you should seek medical advice first when considering taking supplements.
Source: various
