Taking an omega-3 supplement while strength training was found to enhance the benefits of the workout routine, according to a recent study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

The study looked at 45 women with an average age of 64 who were assigned to a strength training program. Fifteen of the women received two grams of fish oil per day for the 90 days of strength training, 15 women were given the supplement for 60 days before the regimen and the 90 days of training.

The researchers found that the women who were receiving the fish oil supplement, which contains omega-3 fatty acids, had improved muscle torque in all the muscles studied when compared with the women who were not given the supplement.

While the strength training program boosted muscle torque and the rate of torque development in all muscles in the participants, those who had been given the omega-3 supplement had even more pronounced results, the researchers noted.

"The use of fish oil supplementation in addition to strength training potentiates the neuromuscular system, enhancing the muscle strength and the functional capacity in elderly women," the researchers wrote in the study.

According to WebMD.com, coldwater fish such as herring, mackerel, sturgeon and anchovies are good natural sources of omega-3, as are walnuts.