Evaluation of Omega-3 Status in Professional Basketball Players.
Level 4 - case-series / case-control
Cross-sectional observational study with dried blood spot testing and self-reported intake.
PubMed 34143763 · doi:10.1519/JSC.0000000000004023
What was done
Researchers assessed omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) blood concentrations, dietary fish intake, and supplement use in 119 professional basketball players during preseason medical screenings. Blood was sampled using dried blood spots and analyzed for eicosapentaenoic acid, docosahexaenoic acid, the Omega-3 Index (O3i), and other fatty acids.
What was found
The mean O3i across the 119 players was 5.02 ± 1.19% (range: 2.84–9.76%). For dietary intake, 31% of players reported consuming no fish per week, and 61% consumed less than 2 servings per week. Only 12 of the 119 players reported taking omega-3 PUFA supplements. O3i showed a moderate correlation with dietary fish consumption per week (r = 0.58; p < 0.01) and per month (r = 0.57; p < 0.01).
Why it matters
This paper provides blood biomonitoring data in elite professional athletes, demonstrating that low dietary fish intake leaves the majority of tested professional basketball players below the typical 8% target for the Omega-3 Index.
Limits
The study is purely cross-sectional and observational, with no control group or clinical/performance outcome measures. Dietary and supplement intake data relied entirely on self-report, and supplement dosage and frequency varied widely among users.
Cited by
- supports Data in the NBA shows that approximately 50% of players have an omega-3 index below 5%.