Am J Clin Nutr. 2011 Feb;93(2):402-12. Epub 2010 Dec 15
Dietary omega-3 fatty acid supplementation increases the rate of muscle protein synthesis in older adults: a randomized controlled trial-Smith GI, Atherton P, Reeds DN, Mohammed BS, Rankin D, Rennie MJ, Mittendorfer B.
Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO 63110, USA.
CONCLUSION: Omega-3 fatty acids stimulate muscle protein synthesis in older adults and may be useful for the prevention and treatment of sarcopenia (from the Greek meaning “poverty of flesh”- Sarcopenia is the degenerative loss of skeletal muscle mass and strength associated with aging).
Researchers took adults over the age 65 and had them consume either 4 grams of Omega-3 fatty acids (which I assume was fish oil) or 4 grams of corn oil for 8 weeks.
Their diets were carefully monitored so they received the exact same protein.
The subjects were told not to engage in heavy resistance exercise.
At the end of the 8 weeks, the group consuming the Omega-3’s had increases in rate of protein synthesis. (hyperaminoacidemia-hyperinsulinemia synthesis and increased activation of the mTOR-p70S6k-signaling pathway which is important control point for muscle cell growth)
Pub Med. Gov link: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21159787
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