Hold from beautiful Manchester area outside of Seattle WA.

As I type this I am watching various fishing boats go in and out as the coffee shop right at the launch site.

And today's topics deals with something fishy and your gainZ.

Picture this:
You just finished a sadistic leg day that left your quads screaming like a Slipknot encore.
You crawl out of the gym, chug a protein shake, and pray to the DOMS gods for mercy.

...But what if the answer isn’t another ice bath, foam roller, or “bro just walk it off”?

What if the fix is… fish fat (aka fish oil)?

Not the sexy Instagram “salmon bowl” kind. I’m talking the raw molecular warfare inside your muscle membranes.
​
Enter: EPA and DHA (aka fish oil), two omega-3 bad boys locked in a Baylor lab cage match.

Research Setup

• 30 young dudes (18–35). Zero women, zero masters lifters, zero real-world variety.
• 7 weeks swallowing enough fish oil to make a seal puke (4 grams/day).
• Then? Downhill running + lunge Armageddon protocol. (Imagine sprinting into Mordor while your quads melt).

The Fallout (blood, soreness, and spreadsheets):

• EPA (Eicosapentaenoic Acid):​
  → Jump height didn’t nosedive.
  → Explosive power preserved.
  → DOMS dialed down at 48h.
  → EPA is basically Red Bull for your quads.
• DHA (Docosahexaenoic Acid):​
  → Strength held steady on the leg press.
  → Soreness muted like your drunk uncle at Thanksgiving.
  → Think of DHA as the quiet bouncer—no flash, just brute stability.
• EPA + DHA combo:​
  → Helped a bit, but weaker than either one solo.
  → Translation: mixing them was like blending whiskey and tequila. You get chaos, not synergy.

Why You Should Care (even if you’re not a Baylor lab rat):

1. Explosive athlete? EPA might keep your hops alive.
2. Pure strength junkie? DHA could keep you grinding.

Caveats (nerd goggles on):

• Tiny sample (7–8 per group).
• High dose (4 g/day).
• Short (7 weeks).
• All young men.

Translation: It’s promising data, but not the Ten Commandments of Recovery yet, however the downside is minimal and fish oil time and time again has been shown to be safe in moderate doses.

Takeaway for Your Meat Suit​
EPA = bounce back faster when your sport = explosion.
DHA = keep strength steady, mutes soreness.
​
Bottom line? Worth testing it out as the downsides are minimal.

My Stack Confession​
Personally? I am biased to a higher level of fish oil overall for the other benefits and minimal risk.
​
For my 1-1 M3 clients I use an at home fish oil testing kit so we can be extremely precise on the dosages, however I find most are good around 2-3 grams per day of combined EPA + DHA.
​
As shown above, the different fats may have slightly different effects, but a combination of both right now is best.

My go to fish oil is from my friends a Driven Nutrition.

Use code DRMIKE at checkout to save 15% on everything there

​www.miketnelsonfishoil.com ​

Much love, fish burps, and fewer quad funerals,

– Dr. Mike​

Reference for the Nerds Who Read Footnotes:​
Heileson, J. L., Harris, D. R., Tomek, S., Ritz, P. P., Rockwell, M. S., Barringer, N. D., Forsse, J. S., & Funderburk, L. K. (2024). Long-chain omega-3 fatty acid supplementation and exercise-induced muscle damage: EPA or DHA? Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 56(3), 476–485.
​

_____________________

Mike T Nelson CISSN, CSCS, MSME, PhD
Associate Professor, Carrick Institute
Owner, Extreme Human Performance, LLC
Editorial Board Member, STRONG Fitness Mag

Mike T Nelson is a PhD and not a physician or registered dietitian. The contents of this email should not be taken as medical advice. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any health problem - nor is it intended to replace the advice of a physician. Always consult your physician or qualified health professional on any matters regarding your health.

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