Fish Oil for Bodybuilding: What Are the Benefits? - Healthline

Fish oil is commonly taken to promote heart, brain, eye, and joint health.

Yet, bodybuilders and other athletes also utilize this popular supplement for its anti-inflammatory properties. Some people believe it may boost muscle strength, improve range of motion, and provide numerous other benefits.

As such, you may wonder whether fish oil can bolster your workout routine.

This article tells you whether you should take fish oil for bodybuilding.

What is fish oil?
Fish oil is extracted from the tissues of fatty fish, such as salmon, herring, halibut, and mackerel (1Trusted Source).

It’s high in omega-3 fatty acids, which are considered essential because you must obtain them from your diet. Your body cannot produce them on its own.

While several types of omega-3s exist, the two found in fish oil are eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) (2).

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recommends that you eat at least 8 ounces (227 grams) of fish per week due to its fatty acid content (3Trusted Source).

You can also get omega-3s from plant foods, such as pine nuts, walnuts, and flax seeds, but these provide a less active form — alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) — than fish does (4Trusted Source).


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Though eating fish is a heart-friendly way of getting a protein, there is strong evidence that taking fish oil supplements help lower triglycerides, a type of fat found in the blood. Lowering that stated compound lowers the risk of heart attack or any heart disease. But although taking fish oil supplements is beneficial for people who have heart problems, for healthy people it might increase the levels of omega-3. High levels of omega-3 intake have been linked with increased risk for stroke. Also, according to the National Institutes of Health, too much intake may interfere with some medications. So better consult a dietitian or doctor to determine how much supplements should you take daily.