The Potential Benefits of Omega Fatty Acid Supplementation on Skeletal Muscle Membrane Composition and Function, and Energy Metabolism in Young and Older Men and Women

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It is well known that OMEGA-3 fatty acid (O3FA) supplementation exerts a myriad of positive physiological effects in the human body, including lowered blood lipids and inflammatory indices, improved antithrombotic and cardiovascular indices, and improved cognitive function. The common denominator in all these effects is the ability of O3FAs to modify the properties of membranes and to stimulate gene expression in many tissues. Surprisingly, little work has examined the effects of O3FAs on skeletal muscle. This large organ (~28 kg in a 70 kg person) is important for moving the body throughout our daily activities by using the fuels fat and carbohydrate to generate the necessary energy for movement. Skeletal muscle is also an important storage site for the CHO and lipid that we consume during the day. The capacity of muscle to burn carbohydrate and lipid as fuel is low in sedentary individuals and also decreases as we age and lose muscle mass and become less physically active. The proportion of seniors in Canada is predicted to increase from 13% of the total population in 2005 to 25% in 2036, so this is an important concern. When low physical activity levels are coupled with consuming too much food at any age, and the loss of muscle mass that accompanies aging, there is increased risk for a variety of lifestyle and age-related diseases.