Submission

Long-Chain Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids and Sarcopenia

A Primer for Nutrition Professionals

Heileson, Jeffery L. PhD, RD
Sergi, Tina E. MS, RD

Jeffery L. Heileson, PhD, RD, is the research director in nutrition at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center and assistant professor at Baylor University
Tina E. Sergi, MS, RD, is a researcher and clinician in nutrition at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.

Author Contributions: All authors participated in the conception of the review article. T.E.S. conducted the initial literature review and J.L.H. prepared the tables and figure and drafted the manuscript. All authors edited and revised the manuscript and approved the final version.

The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose.

Correspondence: Jeffery L. Heileson, PhD, RD, 8901 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD 20889 ([email protected]).

How to cite this article: Heileson JL, Sergi TE. Long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and sarcopenia: A primer for nutrition professionals. Nutr Today 2025;00:00–00. doi: 10.1097/NT.0000000000000759

Nutrition Today Publish Ahead of Print, May 16, 2025. | DOI: 10.1097/NT.0000000000000759

Sarcopenia is the age-related loss of muscle mass, strength, and function that predisposes older adults to impaired mobility, risk of falls, greater disability, and poor quality of life. From a nutritional perspective, sarcopenia treatment and prevention strategies include adequate calorie intake with a special emphasis on protein and amino acids. Recent evidence suggests that long-chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, particularly eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid, may be a complimentary therapeutic target to improve sarcopenia-related outcomes such as muscle mass, strength, and function. This review aims to critically evaluate the scientific evidence exploring the influence of eicosapentaenoic acid + docosahexaenoic acid on sarcopenia-related outcomes as a brief primer for nutrition professionals.