SupplementsFatty AcidsOmega 3

Omega 3

fish oil with EPA and DHA

The supplement nearly everyone has tried, with one clear job, lowering triglycerides, and a longer story about your heart than the labels let on.

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A golden omega-3 softgel
Builds up
Weeks to months
In your body
Weeks
Per 1 softgel
7 ingredients
30-day supply
$10.20One capsule a day, plus packing and delivery

What is omega 3?

Omega-3s are fats your body uses to build the outer walls of your cells. The two that matter most here are EPA and DHA, found in oily fish. DHA is important for your brain and eyes to develop.

Your body can make a little of them from the plant omega-3 in flax and walnuts, but barely any DHA that way. That's why fish, fish oil or algae oil are the direct route. US dietary guidelines suggest at least 8 ounces of seafood a week.

Ours is a 1,000 mg softgel of fish oil, with 400 mg of EPA, 300 mg of DHA and 50 mg of other omega-3s. That's not the same as cod liver oil, which also has vitamins A and D.

What it does

  • TriglyceridesHelps maintain triglycerides already in the healthy range.
  • HeartSupports normal heart function.
  • Brain and eyesDHA supports normal brain and eye function.
  • JointsSupports joint comfort.

These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

The full guide · 8 min readOmega-3 (fish oil): what it does, and what the label hidesWhich form, how much, when to take it, and whether it's worth it, with the studies behind each answer.

What people take it for

How long it takes

It works its way into your cells slowly. In red blood cells, you're halfway there at about 4 weeks and steady at about 6 months. In body fat, it keeps climbing for over a year.

Omega-3 in your red blood cellsTypical pattern
Halfway at about 4 weeks
Steady at about 6 months
Start6 months
  1. DaysStarts showing up in the fats in your blood
  2. About 4 weeksHalfway to steady in your red blood cells, and near full in heart tissue at high amounts
  3. About 6 monthsRed blood cells reach a steady level, while body fat keeps rising

How long it stays in your body

It isn't like a pill that comes and goes, because omega-3 becomes part of your cells. After stopping, one study found red blood cell levels stayed fairly high for another 4 weeks, then eased off.

What's in a capsule

One softgel holds 400 mg of EPA and 300 mg of DHA. The 5-year heart study used 840 mg of EPA and DHA a day, a little more than the 700 mg here. Medical advice for high triglycerides uses 2 to 4 g, so one softgel is well under that.

Where it goes, and why EPA and DHA aren't twins

Omega-3 doesn't just pass through. It gets built into the walls of your cells, replacing other fats there, including in your heart. There's even a test for it: the omega-3 index measures how much EPA and DHA sits in your red blood cells. Because those cells live for months, it reflects your habits over time rather than your last meal.

EPA and DHA act differently. Both lower triglycerides. But DHA also raises HDL by about 4 mg/dL, and raises LDL by about 7 mg/dL, while EPA doesn't. So if your LDL creeps up on fish oil, that's not your imagination, and it's worth a chat with your doctor.

One surprise is your heart rhythm. Across large studies, omega-3 supplements were tied to a higher risk of atrial fibrillation, an irregular heartbeat. The rise was small at 1 g a day or under, and bigger above that. A newer analysis of 35 studies found it only above 1.5 g a day in people already at high heart risk.

Read the full guide to omega 3

What it interacts with

Goes well with

Side effects

  • Usually mild: an unpleasant taste, bad breath, smelly sweat, headache, heartburn, nausea or diarrhea.
  • A slightly higher chance of atrial fibrillation, mainly at larger amounts. See your doctor if your heart flutters or races.

Check first if

  • Fish allergy: this softgel is made from fish, so avoid it.
  • Blood thinners: talk to your doctor and keep an eye on your INR.
  • Bleeding disorder or surgery coming up: tell your doctor. Studies have been reassuring, but it does make platelets less sticky.
  • Atrial fibrillation or other rhythm problems: talk to your doctor first.
  • Pregnancy or breastfeeding: omega-3 matters here, and experts suggest 8 to 12 ounces of low-mercury seafood a week. Ask your doctor before adding a supplement.
  • Vegan or vegetarian: this one contains fish and gelatin. Look at our Vegan Omega instead.

The blood tests that go with it

Work it out

A slim glass tube of blood in two clean layersHeart · CalculatorCholesterol ratio calculatorTG to HDL, total to HDL, and non-HDL.Two fingertips resting on the pulse at the neckHeart · CalculatorLDL calculatorLDL from your lipid panel, with the newer equation.

Supplementation

Find Omega 3 in a ready-made protocol.

Start from one of these, or add it to your own. Everything comes in one pouch each morning.

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  • cGMP-certifiedFacilities
  • FDA-registeredFacilities
  • Accredited labsIndependent testing
  • Non-GMOIngredient options
  • OrganicIngredient options
  • VeganFormula options

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

Want it more precise? Get the app.

A page can only tell you about Omega 3. The app tells you about you: whether it fits, when to take it, and whether it's working.

  • Checked against your blood work and everything you already take
  • On your daily timeline, around your sleep, training and meals
  • Followed over time, so you can see what moved
Download the appStart on the web
09:41
74LIFE FORCE›
09:00— 12:0011:05now
Omega 3OPEN 09:00
Checked for youTHIS MORNING

Omega 3 against your blood work, your sleep and what you already take.

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Questions

What is omega-3 good for?

Mainly lowering triglycerides, where the evidence is strongest. People also take it for heart health, joint comfort and brain support, where the results are more mixed.

How long does omega-3 take to work?

Triglycerides can move within a couple of months. In your red blood cells, it takes about 4 weeks to get halfway and about 6 months to level off. Joint studies looked at 3 to 4 months.

What are the side effects of omega-3?

Usually mild, like an unpleasant taste, bad breath, heartburn, nausea or diarrhea. It's also tied to a slightly higher chance of an irregular heartbeat, mostly at larger amounts.

What does omega-3 interact with?

Mainly blood thinners like warfarin. Bleeding studies have been reassuring overall, but it's still worth getting your INR checked.

Who should not take omega-3?

Avoid this one with a fish allergy. Check first if you take blood thinners, have atrial fibrillation, or are pregnant or breastfeeding.

Can I take omega-3 every day?

Yes, that's how it was studied, for 5 years in one large study. No excess of bleeding or other serious problems showed up there.

What is the half-life of omega-3?

There isn't one simple number, because it becomes part of your cells. It takes about 4 weeks to get halfway in your red blood cells, and about as long to start fading once you stop.

Does fish oil lower your risk of heart disease?

A little, at best, for most people. A review of 86 studies found a small drop in heart events and deaths, while one huge study found no drop in major events overall.

Is omega-3 good for your brain?

DHA matters for brain development, and eating fish is linked to less depression and dementia. Supplements have been less impressive. A large review found little or no effect on memory or new cognitive problems.

Is omega-3 safe in pregnancy?

It's widely used, and a large review found fewer very early births, 42% fewer. Newer work suggests it mainly helps if you started low, so ask your doctor about a test, and stick to low-mercury fish.

Can a blood test show my omega-3 level?

Yes. The omega-3 index measures EPA and DHA in your red blood cells. Because it changes slowly, give it a few months before you retest.

Sources
  1. NIH National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. Omega-3 supplements: what you need to know.
  2. Abdelhamid AS et al. Omega-3 fatty acids for the primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease. Cochrane Database Syst Rev, 2020.
  3. Manson JE et al. Marine n-3 fatty acids and prevention of cardiovascular disease and cancer. N Engl J Med, 2019.
  4. Skulas-Ray AC et al. Omega-3 fatty acids for the management of hypertriglyceridemia. Circulation, 2019.
  5. Katan MB et al. Kinetics of the incorporation of dietary fatty acids into serum cholesteryl esters, erythrocyte membranes, and adipose tissue. J Lipid Res, 1997.
  6. Browning LM et al. Incorporation of eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acids into lipid pools. Am J Clin Nutr, 2012.
  7. Cao J et al. Incorporation and clearance of omega-3 fatty acids in erythrocyte membranes and plasma phospholipids. Clin Chem, 2006.
  8. Metcalf RG et al. Effects of fish-oil supplementation on myocardial fatty acids in humans. Am J Clin Nutr, 2007.
  9. Wei MY, Jacobson TA. Effects of eicosapentaenoic acid versus docosahexaenoic acid on serum lipids. Curr Atheroscler Rep, 2011.
  10. Gencer B et al. Effect of long-term marine omega-3 fatty acids supplementation on the risk of atrial fibrillation. Circulation, 2021.
  11. Abuknesha NR et al. Effects of omega-3 fatty acid treatment on risk for atrial fibrillation: an updated meta-analysis of 35 trials. Circ Arrhythm Electrophysiol, 2026.
  12. Javaid M et al. Bleeding risk in patients receiving omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids. J Am Heart Assoc, 2024.
  13. Buckley MS et al. Fish oil interaction with warfarin. Ann Pharmacother, 2004.
  14. Begtrup KM et al. No impact of fish oil supplements on bleeding risk. Dan Med J, 2017.
  15. Hartweg J et al. Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids for type 2 diabetes mellitus. Cochrane Database Syst Rev, 2008.
  16. Goldberg RJ, Katz J. A meta-analysis of the analgesic effects of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid supplementation for inflammatory joint pain. Pain, 2007.
  17. Brenna JT et al. Alpha-linolenic acid supplementation and conversion to n-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids in humans. Prostaglandins Leukot Essent Fatty Acids, 2009.
  18. Swanson D et al. Omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA: health benefits throughout life. Adv Nutr, 2012.
  19. Gao X et al. Unsaturated fatty acids in mental disorders: an umbrella review. Adv Nutr, 2022.
  20. Brainard JS et al. Omega-3, omega-6, and polyunsaturated fat for cognition. J Am Med Dir Assoc, 2020.
  21. Middleton P et al. Omega-3 fatty acid addition during pregnancy. Cochrane Database Syst Rev, 2018.
  22. de Seymour JV et al. Omega-3 fatty acids to prevent preterm birth. Nutr J, 2019.
  23. Simmonds LA et al. Recent advances in policy and practice translation of the evidence for additional omega-3 fatty acids and prematurity. Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care, 2022.
  24. Miller PE et al. Long-chain omega-3 fatty acids and blood pressure. Am J Hypertens, 2014.

Written by LifeFrom from these sources, and not yet reviewed by a clinician. Talk to your doctor before starting a supplement.

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