In 30 seconds
- The reference is 250 mg of EPA and DHA a day: it is EFSA's adequate intake and the amount in the authorised claims on the heart, brain and vision.
- One portion of salmon or herring a week already covers that daily average; with cod you would need more than 12 portions.
- On the label, add up the EPA and DHA per daily dose: 1,000 mg of fish oil is usually about 300 mg of omega-3.
- Take it with meals: in one trial, 39% less EPA and DHA was absorbed when it was taken fasted. EFSA considers up to 5 g a day safe.
If you train or look after yourself, omega-3 fits into your day like sleeping well or staying hydrated. You need at least 250 mg of EPA and DHA a day, from one or two portions of oily fish a week or from a supplement. Take it with meals, every day: this guide takes you through it step by step.
The essentials in 5 steps
- Work out how much your fish gives you. Use our omega-3 calculator with a normal week.
- If you do not reach 250 mg a day, add small oily fish or a supplement.
- Choose by the mg of EPA and DHA per daily dose, not by the mg of oil.
- Take it with meals, every day.
- Check the precautions if you take anticoagulants, are pregnant or have a fish allergy.
What omega-3 is and which kind matters
“Omega-3” is the name of a family of fats. Two of them are the ones that matter to you:
- EPA, eicosapentaenoic acid.
- DHA, docosahexaenoic acid.
These are the long-chain omega-3s, and they are found mainly in oily fish and seafood 3.
There is a third one, alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), found in walnuts, flaxseed and chia. Your body can convert it into EPA and DHA, but only a little: less than 15%. That is why taking EPA and DHA directly is the only practical way to raise their levels 3.
What does each one do? DHA is abundant in the retina and the brain 3, and the two together have an authorised claim on the heart 1.
What it does
With 250 mg a day, the EU has authorised these claims for EPA and DHA 1:
- EPA and DHA contribute to the normal function of the heart. The effect is obtained with a daily intake of 250 mg of EPA and DHA.
- DHA contributes to maintenance of normal brain function. With a daily intake of 250 mg of DHA.
- DHA contributes to the maintenance of normal vision. With a daily intake of 250 mg of DHA.
A varied and balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle are important.
It has also been researched a great deal. Almost 26,000 adults took part in the large VITAL trial, taking 1 g a day for just over 5 years 3. And in sport, a meta-analysis of 10 trials found fewer markers of muscle damage with 0.8-3 g a day 10. Its role in muscle beyond a certain age is also being researched: we summarise it in omega-3 and muscle mass.
How much you need
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) considers 250 mg of EPA and DHA a day adequate for healthy adults 2. It is the same amount as in the claim on the heart 1.
Other bodies aim higher. The US Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics recommends 500 mg a day 5. And studies on recovery or muscle have used doses measured in grams 10.
| Amount a day | What it means |
|---|---|
| 250 mg of EPA + DHA | EFSA's adequate intake and the amount in the authorised claim on the heart |
| 250 mg of DHA | The amount in the authorised claims on the brain and vision |
| 500 mg of EPA + DHA | Recommendation of the US Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics |
| 0.8-3 g | Doses in the trials on muscle damage after exercise |
| Up to 5 g | Maximum in supplements with no safety concerns for adults, according to EFSA |
Sources: Regulation (EU) 432/2012, EFSA (2012), Ritz et al. (2020) and Xin and Eshaghi (2021).
In Europe, adults get on average up to 400-500 mg a day from their diet 2. That is an average: people who often eat oily fish easily exceed it, and those who do not eat it fall well below.
How much fish gives you
AESAN, Spain's food safety agency, recommends 3-4 portions of fish a week, alternating white and oily fish 4. But not all fish provide the same amount. To reach 250 mg a day on average, you need 1,750 mg a week. This is how much of each you need 3:
| Fish or seafood | EPA + DHA per portion | Portions a week |
|---|---|---|
| Farmed Atlantic salmon | 1,830 mg | 1 |
| Herring | 1,710 mg | 1 |
| Tinned sardines | 1,190 mg | 1.5 |
| Mackerel | 1,020 mg | 1.7 |
| Rainbow trout | 840 mg | 2.1 |
| Sea bass | 650 mg | 2.7 |
| Prawns | 240 mg | 7.3 |
| Tinned light tuna in water | 190 mg | 9.2 |
| Cod | 140 mg | 12.5 |
Our own calculation: 1,750 mg a week (250 mg a day) divided by the EPA and DHA in each portion, according to the US NIH. An 85 g portion is smaller than a normal plateful in Spain.
The conclusions are clear:
- One portion of salmon or herring a week already covers the average.
- Sardines and mackerel, between 1.5 and 2 portions.
- With white fish, prawns or tinned tuna, it is very hard to get there.
What is more, small oily fish contain little mercury. AESAN includes anchovies, sardines, herring, salmon and trout among the species with the least 4.
University athletes
People who train fall short too
Who falls short
People who eat little oily fish
This is the most common case. If you mainly eat white fish or tinned tuna, or oily fish less than once a week, you most likely do not reach it 3.
People who train
In a study with 1,528 US university athletes, only 6% reached 500 mg a day. Their omega-3 index, the percentage of EPA and DHA in red blood cells, was 4.3% on average. None of them reached 8% 5. Each weekly portion of fish or seafood raised it by 0.27% 5. If you run or cycle, we cover it in omega-3 for runners and cyclists.
People who do not eat fish
If you follow a vegetarian or vegan diet, ALA from plants is not enough. Algal oils provide DHA, about 100-300 mg, and some also provide EPA 3.
Pregnancy and breastfeeding
DHA builds up very quickly in the baby's brain and retina during the third trimester 3. It is a stage when you should choose the product and dose with your doctor or midwife.
How much to take, depending on your situation
| Your situation | What to do |
|---|---|
| You eat oily fish twice a week or more | You probably reach it. Check with the calculator. |
| You eat oily fish once a week | It depends on the species: with sardines or mackerel you only get halfway. |
| You hardly eat any oily fish | A daily supplement with at least 250 mg of EPA and DHA. |
| You do not eat fish | An EPA and DHA supplement; if you want a plant-based one, from algal oil. |
| You take anticoagulants, are pregnant or breastfeeding | Check with your doctor first. |
Our own summary based on EFSA, AESAN and the US NIH.
If you use a supplement, a daily dose with at least 250 mg of EPA and DHA makes sure you reach the reference. A higher amount is fine too: EFSA concluded that up to 5 g a day in supplements raises no safety concerns in adults 2. That said, always stick to the daily dose stated on the label.
Oil is not omega-3
What is in a typical fish oil softgel
The label in four checks
1. EPA and DHA per daily dose
In the EU, a food supplement must state the daily dose and declare in figures the amount of each substance per dose 6. Look for the EPA and DHA lines and add them up.
Do not confuse the oil with the omega-3. A typical 1,000 mg fish oil softgel contains about 180 mg of EPA and 120 mg of DHA: about 300 mg in total 3.
2. The form
Omega-3 can come as natural triglycerides, re-esterified triglycerides, free fatty acids, ethyl esters or phospholipids. The first three are absorbed slightly better than ethyl esters. Even so, all of them clearly raise EPA and DHA in the blood 3. If you are torn between a natural omega-3 and a concentrated one, we compare them in which omega-3 is better.
3. Freshness
Fish oil oxidises. In an analysis of 72 supplements, 68% of the flavoured ones exceeded the industry's reference oxidation limit. Of those without flavouring, 13% did 7. Smell the bottle when you open it and keep it tightly closed, in a cool, dry place.
4. The origin
Look for a statement of which fish it comes from. And if it is cod liver oil, bear in mind that it also provides vitamin A and vitamin D 3.
You will find it all, with examples, in which omega-3 to buy.
When and how to take it
How to take omega-3
When and how to take it
With meals
In a trial with a pharmaceutical omega-3, taking it fasted was compared with taking it after breakfast. Fasted, 39% less EPA and DHA reached the blood 8. Taking it before a meal gave a result similar to fasting. And on a full stomach there were no cases of diarrhoea 8.
In practice: take it during or just after a meal.
Split up or all at once
The most convenient option is to spread the softgels across breakfast, lunch and dinner. That way you always take them with food and do not have to think about it.
Every day
You will not notice omega-3 from one day to the next. EPA and DHA are incorporated into your cells according to the dose, over days to weeks: a new balance is reached in about 4 weeks 9. And the blood omega-3 index reflects what you have taken over the last 120 days 3.
What about the days you eat oily fish?
Take it anyway. You are a long way from any limit, and consistency is what counts.
Safety and precautions
- Amount: according to EFSA, up to 5 g a day of EPA and DHA in supplements raises no safety concerns in adults. Nor does it increase the risk of bleeding 2.
- Side effects: these are usually mild: an unpleasant taste, bad breath, heartburn, nausea or digestive discomfort 3. Taking it with food helps.
- Anticoagulants: fish oil can lengthen clotting time, and monitoring of tests is recommended for people who take them 3. Check with your doctor before you start.
- Cardiovascular disease: in two large trials with people with cardiovascular disease or at high risk, 4 g a day was associated with slightly more atrial fibrillation 3.
- Pregnancy and breastfeeding: check with your doctor or midwife.
- Fish allergy: fish oil supplements contain fish.
- Mercury: no mercury has been found in omega-3 supplements, because it is removed when the oil is processed and purified 3. For fish, AESAN advises pregnant and breastfeeding women and children to avoid the species with the most mercury: swordfish, bluefin tuna, shark and pike 4.
Common mistakes
- Looking at the mg of oil instead of the mg of EPA and DHA.
- Counting on walnuts or flaxseed as a source of EPA and DHA.
- Taking it fasted or with just a black coffee.
- Taking it on and off. What counts is consistency.
- Keeping the bottle near a source of heat or leaving it open.
Our omega-3
Our Anchovy Omega-3 is made with anchovy oil. In 3 softgels a day it provides:
- 540 mg of EPA and 360 mg of DHA: 900 mg, more than three times the daily reference.
- 360 mg of DHA, above the 250 mg in the claims on the brain and vision.
- 40 mg of vitamin E, 333% of the NRV.
Take one softgel with each main meal. A bottle of 90 softgels lasts 30 days and works out at €0.73 a day. Every bottle carries its batch number.
If you also take Sleep Recovery, you can have both in the Rest Pack for €44.90. And if you train several days a week, with creatine and Nitrus Isotonic in the Essentials Pack for €54.90. Both with free delivery.
Frequently asked questions
How much omega-3 should you take a day?
What time of day should you take omega-3?
With meals. In one trial, taking it fasted reduced the absorption of EPA and DHA by 39% compared with taking it after breakfast. Spreading it across your main meals is the most convenient option.
How long does omega-3 take to work?
EPA and DHA are incorporated into your cells over a matter of days to weeks, and a new balance is reached in about 4 weeks. The blood omega-3 index reflects what you have taken over the last 120 days.
Can I take omega-3 if I take anticoagulants?
Check with your doctor first. Fish oil can lengthen clotting time, and for people taking anticoagulants, monitoring of clotting tests is recommended.
Do omega-3 supplements contain mercury?
According to the US NIH, no mercury has been found in omega-3 supplements, because it is removed when the oil is processed and purified.
Sources
- Commission Regulation (EU) No 432/2012 establishing a list of permitted health claims made on foods. View publication
- EFSA. EFSA assesses safety of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids. Press release, 27 July 2012. View publication
- Office of Dietary Supplements, National Institutes of Health. Omega-3 fatty acids: fact sheet for health professionals. View publication
- AESAN. Recommendations on fish consumption due to the presence of mercury. View publication
- Ritz PP, Rogers MB, Zabinsky JS, et al. Dietary and biological assessment of the omega-3 status of collegiate athletes: a cross-sectional analysis. PLoS One. 2020;15(4):e0228834. View publication
- Directive 2002/46/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 10 June 2002 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to food supplements. View publication
- Hands JM, Anderson ML, Cooperman T, Frame LA. A multi-year rancidity analysis of 72 marine and microalgal oil omega-3 supplements. J Diet Suppl. 2023. doi:10.1080/19390211.2023.2252064. View publication
- Shimada H, Nilsson C, Noda Y, Kim H, Lundström T, Yajima T. Effects of food on the pharmacokinetics of omega-3-carboxylic acids in healthy Japanese male subjects: a phase I, randomized, open-label, three-period, crossover trial. J Atheroscler Thromb. 2017;24(9):980-987. View publication
- Calder PC. Omega-3 fatty acids and inflammatory processes. Nutrients. 2010;2(3):355-374. View publication
- Xin G, Eshaghi H. Effect of omega-3 fatty acids supplementation on indirect blood markers of exercise-induced muscle damage: systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Food Sci Nutr. 2021;9(11):6429-6442. View publication
Information based on published studies. It does not replace the advice of a doctor or registered dietitian. The results describe what was measured in each study, not the properties of any specific product.
