Omega 3 in a rugby player's diet
Answer
UK advice is at least one portion of oily fish a week and most club players eat none. A portion of mackerel provides far more EPA and DHA than a week of standard softgels, so food comes first.
Key takeaways
- How much does oily fish provide?
- A 140g portion of mackerel gives roughly 2.5 to 3 grams of combined EPA and DHA, well above a week of softgels.
- Who needs a supplement?
- Players who eat no oily fish at all, which describes most of a club squad.
- What does the supplement provide?
- Futuro Labs Omega 3 Fish Oil gives 300mg combined per softgel, or 2.1 grams across a week, for 17p a day.
Food first, and the honest comparison
A 140g portion of mackerel provides roughly 2.5 to 3 grams of combined EPA and DHA. Salmon gives roughly 1.5 to 2 grams for a similar portion, and sardines sit in between.
Futuro Labs Omega 3 Fish Oil provides 300mg a day, which is 2.1 grams across a week. So a single weekly portion of oily fish delivers more than seven days of softgels. A player eating oily fish weekly does not need the supplement, and this page says so.
The gap most club players actually have
Average UK intake falls well short of the one portion a week advice, and a club player living on chicken, rice and whatever is quickest after a nine o'clock finish is not eating mackerel.
That gap is the real case. At 17p a day, one mini softgel clears the 250mg threshold for the authorised heart claim, which is what a supplement can honestly offer against a diet containing no oily fish at all.
The full version
- Omega 3 for rugby playersThe club diet problem, the claims and how to read a fish oil label.
- Futuro Labs Omega 3 Fish Oil: the full labelHow it compares to eating the fish, plus form, shell and testing.
The product
Futuro Labs Omega 3 Fish Oil
Futuro Labs Omega 3 Fish Oil is the 180mg EPA and 120mg DHA one at 17p a day. One softgel clears the 250mg threshold, which is what most club diets are missing entirely.
- 300mg combined EPA and DHA per softgel
- Batch tested to ISO 17025 standards
- Deodorised mini softgel, one a day
- Bovine gelatin shell, not vegetarian
Sharper Rugby is published by Futuro Labs. If you buy through this link Futuro Labs earns from the sale. Prices are set by Amazon.
Questions players ask
Is oily fish better than a supplement?
A weekly portion of mackerel provides more combined EPA and DHA than a week of standard softgels.
How much oily fish is recommended?
At least one portion a week, and average UK intake falls well short of it.
Who should take a supplement?
Players who eat no oily fish at all, which is most of a club squad.