Table 1.
Main characteristics of included RCTs.
| Study | Country | Mean age | Gender | Cohorts | Intervention and control | Eccentric exercise | Main outcomes | AEs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Corder et al., 2016 | USA | 31.9/33.3 | F | 14/13 | O: 3000 mg DHA daily, for 7 d before exercise and 2 d afterwards C: placebo capsules (corn and soy oil) |
T: 4 sets preacher bench biceps curl W: 120% of subjects' 1 RM D: over 4 s in a controlled manner R: till failure |
DOMS, ROM, upper arm circumference, skin temperature, and blood markers | None |
|
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| DiLorenzo et al., 2014 | Virginia | 21.8/21.8 | M | 21/20 | O: 2000 mg DHA daily, for 28 d before exercise C: placebo capsules |
T: 6 sets preacher bench curl W: 140% of subjects' 1 RM D: with the investigators 1-5 counting R: 10 reps/set |
DOMS, ROM, muscle strength, and blood markers | None |
|
| ||||||||
| Gray et al., 2014 | UK | 22.0/23.0 | M | 10/10 | O: 1300 mg EPA and 300 mg DHA daily, for 6 w before exercise C: placebo capsules (olive oil) |
T: 20 sets knee extension W: NR D: 0.52 rads/s between 90° and 120° R: 10 reps/set |
DOMS, MVC, and blood markers | NR |
|
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| Houghton and Onambele, 2012 | UK | 20.4/20.4 | F | 7/10 | O: 360 mg EPA daily, for 3 w before exercise and 6 w afterwards C: placebo capsules (lecithin) |
T: 4 sets leg flexion and extension walking lunges straight leg deadlift W: 70% of subjects' 1 RM D: within 6 s R: 10 reps/set |
DOMS, muscle strength, and blood markers | NR |
|
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| Jakeman et al., 2017 | UK | 25.6/26.2 | M | 9/9 | O: 750 mg EPA and 50 mg DHA, immediately after the exercise C: placebo capsules (filler oil) |
T: 10 sets plyometric drop jump W: body weight D: 10 s between each jump R: 10 reps/set |
DOMS, muscle strength, jump performance, and blood markers | NR |
|
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| Lenn et al., 2002 | USA | 23.4/23.4 | M/F | 7/7 | O: 1800 mg Omega-3 fatty acid daily, for 30 d before exercise and 7 d afterwards C: placebo capsules (Western fat blend) |
T: arm training W: subjects' 1 RM D: 1 s at 90°/s R: 50 reps in total |
DOMS, MVC, ROM, RANG, upper arm circumference, and blood markers | NR |
|
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| Meamarbashi and Abedini, 2011 | Iran | 18.2/18.2 | M | 10/10 | O: 1200 mg purslane extract daily, for 3 d before exercise and 2 d afterwards C: placebo capsules (lactose powder) |
T: 7 sets bench stepping W: body weight D: 4 s R: 75 reps/set |
DOMS, ROM, muscle strength, thigh circumference, and blood markers | NR |
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| Mickleborough et al., 2015 | USA | 21.7/21.5 | M | 16/16 | O: 58 mg EPA and 44 mg DHA and 0.225 mg vitamin E daily, for 26 d before exercise and 4 d afterwards C: placebo capsules (olive oil) |
T: downhill running W: at -16% grade D: in total 20 min R: NR |
DOMS, MVC, ROM, PPT, and blood markers | None |
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| Ochi et al., 2017 | Japan | 20.7/21.3 | M | 10/11 | O: 600 mg EPA and 260 mg DHA daily, for 8 w before exercise and 5 d afterwards C: placebo capsules (corn oil) |
T: 6 sets preacher bench curl W: 40% of subjects' 1 RM D: 3 s at a constant velocity of 30°/s R: 10 reps/set |
DOMS, MVC, ROM, upper arm circumference, and M-wave latency | NR |
|
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| Phillips et al., 2003 | USA | 22.1/22.1 | M | 20/20 | O: 800 mg DHA and 300 mg tocopherols and 300 mg flavonoids daily, 7 d before exercise and 7 d afterwards C: placebo capsules (sunflower oil and rice powder) |
T: 3 sets arm curl W: 80% of subjects' 1 RM D: over 6 s R: 10 reps/set |
DOMS, ROM, and blood markers | None |
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| Tartibian et al., 2009 | Germany | 33.4/33.5 | M | 9/18 | O: 324 mg EPA and 216 mg DHA daily, for 30 d before exercise and 2 d afterwards C: placebo capsules |
T: 7 sets bench stepping W: body weight D: 4 s R: 75 reps/set |
DOMS, ROM, and thigh circumference | NR |
|
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| Tsuchiya et al., 2016 | Japan | 19.4/19.5 | M | 12/12 | O: 600 mg EPA and 260 mg DHA daily, for 8 w before exercise and 5 d afterwards C: placebo capsules (corn oil) |
T: 5 sets elbow flexion W: 6 RM D: 3 s at a constant velocity of 30°/s R: 6 reps/set |
DOMS, MVC, ROM, upper arm circumference, and blood markers | NR |
Cohort size and mean age of subjects were presented as Omega-3 group/control group. M: male; F: female; O: Omega-3 group; C: control group; DHA: docosahexaenoic acids; EPA: eicosapentaenoic acid; RM: repetition maximal; T: type of eccentric exercise; W: weight of eccentric contraction; D: duration of each eccentric contraction; R: repetitions for each set of eccentric exercise; DOMS: delayed onset muscle soreness; MVC: maximal voluntary contraction; ROM: range of motion; AEs: adverse events; NR: not reported.