Many claims have been made for the benefits of fish oil derived n-3 (or w-3) polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), though none appears to have strong evidence (BMJ, 2015).

A new addition to the list is the prevention of muscle loss in older people.

40 healthy people aged 60-85 were randomised to n-3 PUFA pills whil 20 were given corn oil pills.

After 6-months, the first group showed increased thigh muscle volume and hand grip (Smith et al., 2015).

Bigger, better trials are needed before puffing PUFAs!

References

BMJ 2015;350:h3206.

Smith, G.I., Julliand, S., Reeds, D.N., Sinacore, D.R., Klein, S. & Mittendorfer, B. (2015) Fish oil–derived n–3 PUFA therapy increases muscle mass and function in healthy older adults. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. First published May 20, 2015, doi: 10.3945/​ajcn.114.105833.