Omega-3 Fatty Acids (EPA + DHA)
Of 4,768 on-market omega-3 fatty acids (epa + dha) products in the January 2026 DSLD dump, the median declared dose is 648 mg, and 72.4% list Total/Mixed Omega-3 (undifferentiated triglyceride) as the primary form.
Form share
Of 4,666 products with an identifiable primary form, here is the share held by each form of Omega-3 Fatty Acids (EPA + DHA) on the market today.
| Form | Quality tier | n | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total/Mixed Omega-3 (undifferentiated triglyceride) | Tier 1 | 3,380 | 72.4% |
| EPA (Eicosapentaenoic Acid) | Tier 1 | 664 | 14.2% |
| DHA (Docosahexaenoic Acid) | Tier 1 | 571 | 12.2% |
| Docosahexaenoic Acid Ethyl Ester | Tier 3 | 51 | 1.1% |
Form share over time
Entry-year breakdown of the top forms, 2012–2025.
Dose distribution
Deciles of declared dose per serving (mg), among 3,196 products with a disclosed amount.
- 18.8% of products fall below the fairy-dust threshold (200 mg, 20% of the studied low dose).
- 22.0% of products don't disclose an amount because Omega-3 Fatty Acids (EPA + DHA) is declared inside a proprietary blend.
By dosage form
By target group
Top brands
Forms explained
Native triglyceride form found in fish; well-absorbed baseline reference form in head-to-head bioavailability trials.
Source: Dyerberg J et al. 2010, Prostaglandins Leukot Essent Fatty Acids 83(3):137-141, PMID 20638827
Re-esterified triglyceride form of EPA/DHA showed the highest bioavailability index (124%) vs ethyl ester (73%) and free fatty acid (91%) in a 72-subject comparison; plain/natural triglyceride EPA is the well-absorbed baseline.
Source: Dyerberg J et al. 2010, PMID 20638827
Same bioavailability ranking as EPA (rTG > FFA > TG > EE); algal-oil DHA (vegan source) is statistically non-inferior/bioequivalent to fish-oil DHA at doses up to 1000mg/day.
Source: Dyerberg J et al. 2010, PMID 20638827; Arterburn LM et al. 2007 algal-DHA bioequivalence
Ethyl ester form had the lowest bioavailability index (73%) of the forms tested, especially without a fat-containing meal, due to slower pancreatic lipase hydrolysis.
Source: Dyerberg J et al. 2010, PMID 20638827
Reference values
- RDA (adult): not established — No RDA -- IOM set only an Adequate Intake for ALA (the essential plant-derived precursor), not for EPA+DHA directly: 1.6g/day ALA (men), 1.1g/day ALA (women). No DRI exists specifically for EPA or DHA.
- Tolerable Upper Intake Level (adult): not established — Not established -- IOM found available data insufficient to set a UL. FDA GRAS for up to 3g/day EPA+DHA from fish oil; FDA advises supplement labels not recommend >2g/day. EFSA: long-term intake up to ~5g/day combined EPA+DHA appears safe. 2-15g/day may increase bleeding time via reduced platelet aggregation.
- Studied clinical dose range: 1000–4000 mg
- Wang T et al. 2023, J Am Heart Assoc 12(11):e029512, PMID 37264945 -- dose-response meta-analysis, 90 RCTs/72,598 participants; near-linear dose-response for triglyceride and non-HDL-C reduction, most evident above 2g/day in hyperlipidemic/overweight populations.
- Note: EPA and DHA are frequently declared as their own ingredient rows in DSLD alongside a parent "Total Omega-3" figure -- modeled as sub-entries in forms.yaml rather than folded silently into one number, since per-row amounts don't always sum cleanly to the declared total. The metrics phase must decide how to aggregate per product (avoid double/triple-counting parent+EPA+DHA rows on the same label).