High-intensity exercise, such as power training or high-intensity interval training (HIIT), places heavy demands on nutrient metabolism, and this metabolic stress is a target of sports nutrition formulators who seek to speed up recovery from intense training sessions.  In a recent study, run in partnership with Cien por Cien Natural, Aker BioMarine, and Centre d’Alt Rendiment (CAR), scientists found that krill oil may significantly increase omega-3 and choline concentrations in athletes who are engaged in intense power training.
 
“At the start of the study, we discovered that the 82% of the participating athletes had an omega-3 index below the recommended level, which clearly indicates that athletes should strongly consider omega-3 fatty acids as part of their diet and nutrition plans,” Yunpeng Ding, director of R&D at Aker BioMarine, and one of the study authors, said.
 
In the study, 35 healthy athletes (27 males and 8 females) participated in the 12-week study. Just over half of the participants were randomly assigned to receive krill oil supplements, while the remaining individuals were assigned to a placebo group. Omega-3 concentrations, plasma choline levels, and total antioxidant capacity were measured before and after their regular exercise sessions, which were performed by the same instructor to ensure consistency across both test groups.
 
“To participate in this study, the athletes had to show that they had practiced power training or similar high intensity exercise with a specialized instructor for at least three years prior, and on a regular basis. They were also asked to avoid other nutritional supplements and maintain a normal diet, shortly before and for the duration of the study,” Ding said.
 
Outcomes
 
The group receiving krill oil showed a significant increase in the average Omega-3 Index, from 4.82% to 6.77% after 12 weeks. Additionally, the krill oil group experienced a significant reduction in their omega-6:omega-3 ratios, a biomarker signifying the potential for decreases in post-exercise inflammation.
 
Plasma choline storage levels were also significantly increased in the supplementation group compared to placebo following exercise, compared to both the placebo and pre-supplementation groups, which on average saw a 7.3% decrease in plasma choline.
 
Lastly, the participants receiving krill oil exhibited higher total antioxidant capacity following exercise compared to the placebo group, however, this didn’t reach clinical significance, which the authors attributed to the small sample size of the study.
 
The authors of the study concluded that these results should be investigated further in a larger pool of power training athletes.