Ep. 285 - Are Most Omega-3 Supplements Misformulated? (Feat Ryan Anthony)

PhD candidate Ryan Anthony joins the Erics on Iron Culture to discuss the fishy business of Omega-3 supplementation. Ryan is in the final years of his PhD research at the University of Wollongong in Australia, investigating the role of omega-3 fatty acids in reducing muscle fatigue and soreness following exercise. His research has identified consistent methodological issues in many of the studies on the topic, which may explain why omega-3 data has become more mixed in recent years. In this episode you’ll learn exactly what omega-3 fatty acids are, how they function in the body, the difference between EPA and DHA and the relevance of their differences, if it is worth supplementing with omega-3s, and whether most supplements on the market are actually properly formulated to provide the potential positive impact sometimes observed in research. 00:00 It’s the tag team Eric duo with an introduction to fish oil supplementation 03:08 Introducing our guest Ryan, his research, and Omega-3s 11:57 Fish oil trials, biomarkers, and adverse outcomes Harris 2017 The Omega-3 Index and relative risk for coronary heart disease mortality: Estimation from 10 cohort studies https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28511049/ 20:40 The methodologies employed in this area of research Anthony 2021 The Influence of Long-Chain Omega-3 Fatty Acids on Eccentric Exercise-Induced Delayed Muscle Soreness: Reported Outcomes Are Compromised by Study Design Issues https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33477110/  Anthony 2024 A review and evaluation of study design considerations for omega-3 fatty acid supplementation trials in physically trained participants https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36620998/ 33:40 The effects of Fish oil supplementation on various outcomes 44:35 The Omega-6 to Omega-3 ratio, arachidonic acid and the inflammatory response 54:55 Clarifying some of the evidence and some practical considerations of supplementation 59:57 Ryan’s breaks down his research 1:09:55 Practical applications for strength and physique athletes https://granttinsley.com/third-party-testing-dietary-supplements 1:15:25 Final words: TBIs and high Mercury, and closing out https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Ryan-Anthony-2

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Iron Culture was started by Eric Helms and Omar Isuf, now currently hosted by Eric Helms and Eric Trexler with Omar as a returning guest, as a means of exploring the world of physical culture and attempting to distill a unified philosophy of lifting and to help listeners find greater meaning from the iron. The lifting community has become fractured over the last ~70 years and this Podcast will attempt to explore the fundamental threads that unite these different tribes. The Podcast focuses on dispensing practical, useful information to the listener, bouncing from history, to philosophy, to contemporary lifting culture issues, to science. This can range from teaching the audience about lifting, programming, nutrition, supplements/PEDs and the history of lifting culture. The format includes casual conversations between the two hosts on a variety of topics, discussions with a panel of experts and interviews with authoritative figures in the lifting community.