Celebrities have been pushing personalized fitness plans and protein focused diets on the masses for years. You’ve likely read about new techniques and trends that claim to boost your muscle mass, and it certainly all sounds very enticing.
However, when it comes to sculpting your body in effective, health conscious ways, listening to the experts of the field before glorified celebrities should be a no brainer. After all, professional bodybuilders have done extensive research and tested out various different methods to obtain the best results.
When it comes to burning fat and building muscle, bodybuilders are your guiding light. The strict exercise routines and restrictive diets that bodybuilders follow are important factors of putting on muscle, but even the best of the best could use assistance when bulking up. Supplements can offer the extra nutrients your body needs to increase productivity while working out, and fish oil is one of the most common supplements consumed by bodybuilders to boost muscle growth.
Keeping reading to learn more about:
- What makes fish oil a good supplement?
- Why is fish oil important for bodybuilders looking to gain muscle?
- How else do fish oil benefits working out?
The Importance of Fish Oil
If you keep hearing about how great fish oil is for your health but you still don’t know a single thing about it, then you might feel like you’re out of the loop. Let’s get you familiarized with the basic facts before we delve deeper into the fish oil ocean.
Fish oil is extracted from oily types of fish, including tuna, salmon, herring, and mackerel. As an important part of your diet, it is recommended that the average adult consumes at least eight ounces of fish per week due to the omega-3 fatty acids present.
The fatty acids found in fish are eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), which are both crucial nutrients that your body is unable to naturally produce. Some plants provide omega-3 fatty acids, though they produce a less active form called alpha-linolenic acid (ALA).
Even if you include plant foods as a normal part of your diet, it is still recommended that you obtain the fatty acids EPA and DHA that are only present in fish to best benefit your body. Incorporating fish oil into your diet can improve many qualities of your well being, including cardiovascular and joint health. If you aren’t generally a fan of fish and don’t make a habit of including it as a part of your regular meals, then the best way to give your body those vital nutrients is through taking daily supplements.
Fish Oil And Building Muscle
The world of bodybuilding might seem daunting to anyone unfamiliar with it, and in many ways it can very well be, but it certainly isn’t unattainable to the average person. Through much persistence, strict exercise regimes, and consuming diets high in protein, almost anyone can obtain a shredded physique where the muscles are prominent and fat content is low.
Competitive and amateur bodybuilders both seek to reach aesthetic goals by obtaining desired muscle density. Unlike athletes of sports such as Olympic weightlifting, professional bodybuilders are most concerned with their outward appearance and eliminating visible fat on their bodies.
Intense workouts and restrictive diets are important elements of achieving these goals, but a majority of bodybuilders take additional proteins and nutritional supplements to boost the results of their efforts. Fish oil happens to be one of the most common supplements taken by bodybuilders who want to achieve the best outcomes in terms of fat reduction and muscle growth.
How Omega-3 Fatty Acids Help Build Muscle
Adding muscle to your frame can be a challenge to even the average gym goer, so there is no prejudice against taking nutritional supplements to give you an edge in attaining your aesthetic goals. Fish oil is a great workout amplifier due to the omega-3 fatty acids it contains, which will aid you in your efforts to grow muscle.
EPA and DHA are the active ingredients present in fish oil that have been shown to support muscle protein synthesis, a function of the body that turns protein you consume into energy that your muscles utilize to grow.
Sustaining your muscle when you are trying to lose body fat is another important factor of bodybuilding, and omega-3 fatty acids play a part in accomplishing that, too. Studies have shown there to be less muscle degradation in individuals who consume fish oil supplements while reducing their body fat through diets.
Fish Oil Elevates Your Workout
Pertaining To Cardiovascular Health
Maintaining good heart health is a key component of getting the most out of your bodybuilding efforts. A healthy heart supports you during intense workout sessions and greatly reduces your risk of developing heart disease by decreasing blood pressure and preventing excessive buildup of plaque in your heart.
Triglycerides are a type of fat stored in your blood that directly affect your cardiovascular health. For a bodybuilder, the overall goal they are trying to achieve is to eliminate as much fat as possible from the body. High triglyceride levels can have negative influences on your health, such as increasing your likelihood of developing heart disease, but incorporating omega-3 fatty acids into your diet works to decrease your triglyceride levels.
What Else Can Fish Oil Do For Bodybuilders?
- Anti-inflammatory properties help your body recover from physical activity more quickly
- Accelerates healing of and prevents potential injuries caused from working out
- Increases metabolism to help the body burn through excess fat
Conclusion
Even if you have no interest in making your body into a masterpiece of developed muscles, there are still reasons fish oil should be a staple in your diet. The beneficial qualities of omega-3 fatty acids will boost your quality of life by improving various areas of your health, including your heart, joints, and brain.
Make sure to pick up some fish oil supplements to experience their health boosting effects. You don’t need to be a bodybuilder to start making smart decisions that will promote the future of your well being, so make the change today!
