Soccer player surrounded by supplements for muscle recovery

Beat Muscle Soreness: The Ultimate Guide for Soccer Players

Avery Sinclair in Health & Wellness December 2025 • 4 min read.

"Unlock peak performance and recover faster with these proven strategies for managing muscle soreness after intense soccer training and matches."

For elite soccer players, juggling intense training sessions and competitive matches each week is the norm. This relentless schedule can place immense stress on the body, leading to decreased sprint speed, reduced jump performance, and overall fatigue. A key culprit behind these performance setbacks? Muscle damage from repeated eccentric muscle contractions, a common occurrence in soccer.

When muscles undergo eccentric contractions—lengthening under tension—myofilaments can overstretch, causing sarcomere disruption and Z-line streaming. This damage compromises muscle cell membrane integrity, leading to leakage of proteins and triggering delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS).

While interventions like cold water immersion and massage have been explored, nutritional strategies are gaining traction for their ability to minimize muscle damage and accelerate recovery. This article dives into the latest research on how specific nutrients, particularly fish oil combined with whey protein, leucine, and carbohydrates, can help soccer players combat muscle soreness and optimize their performance.

The Power of Fish Oil, Whey Protein, and Leucine: A Winning Combination

Soccer player surrounded by supplements for muscle recovery

A recent study published in the International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism investigated the impact of combining fish oil-derived n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3PUFA) with whey protein, leucine, and carbohydrates on muscle soreness and recovery in competitive soccer players. The study aimed to determine if this nutritional cocktail could reduce muscle damage and improve recovery markers following eccentric exercise.

Thirty competitive male soccer players participated in the double-blind, parallel-group study. Participants were divided into three groups, each receiving a different supplement over a six-week period:

FO Group: Received n-3PUFA (1100mg DHA/EPA), whey protein (15g), leucine (1.8g), and carbohydrates (20g).
PRO Group: Received whey protein (15g), leucine (1.8g), and carbohydrates (20g).
CHO Group: Received carbohydrates only (24g).

The results revealed significant benefits for the FO group. Muscle soreness, measured as the area under the curve (AUC) during a 72-hour recovery period, was significantly lower in the FO group compared to both the PRO and CHO groups. Additionally, blood concentrations of creatine kinase (CK), a marker of muscle damage, were also lower in the FO group compared to the CHO group. However, the study found no significant differences in muscle function, soccer performance, or C-reactive protein (CRP) concentrations between the groups.

Maximize Your Recovery: Practical Takeaways for Soccer Players

The research indicates that adding fish oil to a supplement containing whey protein, leucine, and carbohydrates can effectively reduce muscle soreness and markers of muscle damage after intense eccentric exercise. Incorporating this nutritional strategy into your routine could lead to faster recovery times and improved performance on the field. Remember to maintain a balanced diet and consistent training schedule for optimal results. Talk to your sports nutritionist or healthcare provider before making significant changes to your supplement regimen.

About this Article -

This article was crafted using a human-AI hybrid and collaborative approach. AI assisted our team with initial drafting, research insights, identifying key questions, and image generation. Our human editors guided topic selection, defined the angle, structured the content, ensured factual accuracy and relevance, refined the tone, and conducted thorough editing to deliver helpful, high-quality information.See our About page for more information.

This article is based on research published under:

DOI-LINK: 10.1123/ijsnem.2017-0161, Alternate LINK

Title: Adding Fish Oil To Whey Protein, Leucine, And Carbohydrate Over A Six-Week Supplementation Period Attenuates Muscle Soreness Following Eccentric Exercise In Competitive Soccer Players

Subject: Nutrition and Dietetics

Journal: International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism

Publisher: Human Kinetics

Authors: Jordan D. Philpott, Chris Donnelly, Ian H. Walshe, Elizabeth E. Mackinley, James Dick, Stuart D.R. Galloway, Kevin D. Tipton, Oliver C. Witard

Published: 2018-01-01

Everything You Need To Know

What causes muscle soreness after playing soccer and why is it important to address?

Delayed onset muscle soreness, or DOMS, arises from muscle damage caused by eccentric contractions, which are muscle lengthenings under tension common in activities such as soccer. During these contractions, myofilaments can overstretch leading to sarcomere disruption and Z-line streaming. This damages muscle cell membranes, causing protein leakage and inflammation, which results in the sensation of muscle soreness felt a day or two after intense exercise. It's important to address DOMS because it can impair performance by decreasing sprint speed and jump height, and increasing overall fatigue.

How can nutrition help reduce muscle soreness specifically for soccer players?

A recent study showed that combining fish oil with whey protein, leucine, and carbohydrates can significantly reduce muscle soreness and muscle damage, in soccer players. The fish oil provides n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3PUFA) that help minimize muscle damage. Whey protein, leucine, and carbohydrates contribute to muscle repair and energy restoration. While this combination has shown promise in reducing soreness, other factors like a balanced diet and consistent training are also crucial.

What is creatine kinase (CK) and what does it indicate about muscle damage?

Creatine kinase (CK) is an enzyme found in muscle tissue. When muscles are damaged, CK leaks into the bloodstream, so elevated CK levels in the blood indicate muscle damage. Monitoring CK levels can help assess the extent of muscle damage after exercise. In the study mentioned, the group that received fish oil along with whey protein, leucine, and carbohydrates showed lower CK levels compared to the carbohydrate-only group, suggesting reduced muscle damage.

What are eccentric contractions and why are they relevant to soccer players?

Eccentric contractions are muscle contractions that occur when a muscle lengthens under tension, as opposed to concentric contractions where the muscle shortens. In the context of soccer, eccentric contractions happen frequently during activities like running downhill, decelerating, or landing from a jump. These types of contractions cause more muscle damage compared to concentric contractions, leading to muscle soreness and potentially impacting performance. Understanding and managing the effects of eccentric contractions is vital for soccer players to optimize recovery and prevent injury.

What are n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3PUFA) and how can they help with muscle recovery?

N-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3PUFA), like those found in fish oil, can play a crucial role in reducing muscle soreness and aiding recovery. These fatty acids have anti-inflammatory properties, which help minimize the inflammatory response triggered by muscle damage after intense exercise. By reducing inflammation, n-3PUFAs can alleviate muscle soreness and promote faster recovery. They can be obtained through diet or supplementation, but it's important to consult with a healthcare professional or sports nutritionist before making significant changes to your supplement regimen.