How Much Omega 3 Per Day Should I Take? - Omega3 Innovations

For certain conditions – like rheumatoid arthritis and high triglyceride levels – studies typically find that 3000 mg of EPA/DHA daily and up are required for positive results (9, 11, 12, 13).

How Much EPA and DHA Is In Regular Fish Oil Supplements?

Fish oil capsules often advertise that they provide 1000 mg of fish oil, which sounds like a big dose. That is until you realize that fish oil is only partially made up of omega-3s.

Natural (ie. non-concentrated) fish oils contain a maximum of 30% EPA and DHA combined. With a regular 1000 mg fish oil capsule, that means you’re only getting 300 mg of EPA and DHA per gel cap. Non-concentrated krill oil capsules contain even lower percentages of omega-3s.

Concentrated omega-3 products contain higher levels of EPA and DHA per serving. But even with concentrated capsules, you’d typically have to swallow a small handful of pills to get a meaningful amount of EPA and DHA per day.

How to Calculate Your Fish Oil Dosage

To make sure you get an effective omega-3 dose, check the amount of EPA and DHA per serving listed in your product’s supplement facts.

While the exact levels of EPA and DHA will vary depending on brand and source, the below table shows the normal ranges:

A hard-to-swallow truth: With many omega-3 supplements, you have to down a handful of capsules to get an effective dose.

Fish Oil Capsule Alternatives

Alternatives to capsules are better choices for many people. For instance, fresh liquid cod liver oil makes it easy to get more omega-3s in a few teaspoons (and may be better absorbed by the body as well).

Eating fatty fish – like sardines, salmon and herring – multiple times a week is another great way to get more EPA and DHA. If you eat fish, pay attention to whether the fish is wild caught or farm raised, as well as how you prepare your fish (so you don’t lose the majority of omega-3s during cooking) (14).

What’s the Right Omega 3 Dosage for You?

Taking 2000 – 3000 mg of EPA/DHA daily will cover most adults’ omega-3 needs. But other factors – like diet, genetics, lifestyle, age, body weight, health condition, and the bioavailability of the product used – also play a big role (15, 16).

To account for these individual differences, you can take a quick blood test to determine your omega-3 index level. Having an omega-3 index of at least 8% is considered most desirable for heart health.

Can You Take Too Much Fish Oil?

As mentioned above, most people around the world – especially in the USA – get far too little omega-3s. For that reason, there is not much research about whether or not there should be an omega-3 daily intake limit (17).

To date, the European Food Safety Authority has concluded that consuming up to 5000 mg of omega-3s daily is safe (18).

Dose Isn’t the Only Thing That Matters

While getting an effective EPA/DHA dose is one of the most important elements to making your supplement regimen work, you also have to consider the quality of your supplement.

How Fresh Is Your Fish Oil?

Freshness greatly impacts an omega-3 product’s potency and safety profile. Unfortunately, rancid omega-3 oil is a problem, with multiple independent studies showing that many omega-3 products exceed industry freshness standards at the time of purchase (19, 20, 21).

As an omega-3 supplement oxidizes, the amount of EPA and DHA in the oil decreases, meaning you may get less omega-3s than the label suggests.

More concerning are the damaging effects that rancid oil could have on your body. Research indicates that excessively oxidized fish oil may negatively impact cholesterol levels and could have a proinflammatory effect (22, 23, 24).

What’s considered fresh? Peroxide values measure an oil’s freshness level. Generally speaking, the lower the peroxide value, the fresher the oil is. 

Is Your Fish Oil Full-Spectrum?

Natural fish oils contain a cocktail of beneficial omega-3 fatty acids and nutrient cofactors besides EPA and DHA. These nutrients all work together to support our health. Unfortunately, many omega-3 fish oil supplements are stripped of this rich fatty acid content through winterization and/or concentration.

Just like drinking filtered orange juice is not as healthy as eating a fresh orange, the more an omega-3 oil is processed, the less potent and bioavailable it becomes (25). This is why it’s important to look for omega-3 products that are non-winterized (full-spectrum) and contain a broader range of fatty acids than just EPA or DHA.

How Long Does Fish Oil Take to Work?

Once you begin taking an effective omega-3 dose, noteworthy results can start to happen. But, keep in mind that increasing your intake of omega-3s is not a quick fix.

Studies show that it can take between 3 to 6 months to saturate your red blood cell membranes with these beneficial fatty acids (26). It is generally recommended to wait 4 months before re-measuring your omega-3 index level.

Feeling the Difference

While getting enough omega-3s from supplements may sound complicated, it doesn’t have to be.

For instance, Omega Cure® Extra Strength delivers 3000 mg of EPA/DHA in single-dose vials without any fishy taste or smell.

Conveniently pre-measured, Omega Cure Extra Strength simplifies the omega-3 dose question. And best of all, you won’t have to keep counting capsules  – or teaspoons – of fish oil ever again.