What are Omega 3 Supplements?
Omega 3 supplements contain oils with high concentrations of a group of polyunsaturated fats called omega 3 fatty acids. These oils—usually sold in liquid form in bottles or inside soft gel capsules—are a convenient way to increase your intake of omega 3s. This could benefit you if you wouldn’t otherwise consume many foods high in polyunsaturated fats, such as walnuts, fatty fish, and flax seeds. The most common types of fatty acids contained in omega 3 supplements are eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).¹
Although there are other fatty acids in this group, EPA and DHA are thought to be the most important forms to eat because our bodies are mostly unable to create them through other metabolic pathways.¹ Fatty fish oil—such as cod liver oil or krill oil—is usually the main ingredient in omega 3 supplements, due to their naturally high EPA and DHA content. That's why you will often find omega 3 supplements sold as fish oil supplements.
However, some supplements contain vegetarian alternatives such as flaxseed, walnut, or algae oil. These plant-based sources often contain an essential omega 3 fatty acid called alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), which can be partly turned into EPA and DHA in our bodies.
Studies suggest that maintaining sufficient omega 3 intake could protect against cardiovascular disease, rheumatoid arthritis,² and sarcopenia.³ Researchers are still exploring how supplementation could reduce inflammatory diseases and improve mental health.⁴
Primal Harvest
What You Need to Know Before Choosing Omega 3 Supplements
You should first decide how much omega 3 you want to add to your diet. The National Institute of Health doesn’t currently recommend a daily amount, but it does advise that women consume at least 1.1g of ALA per day, and men 1.6g.⁵ Most supplements don’t contain all of the fatty acids, but they should include at least one.
The best omega 3 supplements provide dosage information, from which you can calculate their value for money. Some may seem cheap, but if you need to take four capsules per day you might be better off with a more concentrated oil. These usually cost more, but they’ll last longer as you’ll need a smaller serving size to achieve your desired omega 3 intake.
Many supplements also contain omega-6 or -9, which are groups of fatty acids with different structures. Although these are important, most people now consume much more omega-6 and -9 than omega 3 because they’re present in processed foods and fatty meats. It may therefore be more important for us to supplement omega 3 alone, to maintain a healthy ratio between the groups.⁶
If you’re vegetarian, vegan, or allergic to seafood, you’ll need to pay special attention to the type of oil in your supplement. Fish oil is the most common, and the various alternatives contain different concentrations of omega 3.⁷ If you're looking for options apart from the best fish oil supplement, algae oil may be one of the best non-fish omega 3 supplements,⁷ whereas sources such as flaxseed and echium seed oil may not be as effective at raising omega 3 levels in the body.⁸
All dietary supplements have different effects on different people, and the best omega 3 supplements are no exception. Although the best fish oil supplements (and krill oil or vegetarian alternatives) are usually well-tolerated, some people experience mild gastrointestinal side-effects when taking them.⁴
How Long Does it Take for Omega 3 Supplements to Work?
The potential benefits of taking omega 3 supplements are wide-ranging, and some of the effects may be felt in the shorter term. A month of omega 3 supplementation was shown to noticeably reduce the symptoms of dry eye syndrome⁹ in one study, while supplementation for three weeks reduced symptoms of depression in another study.¹⁰
However, the main benefits happen over a longer term and the changes in your health may not be noticeable at all. A healthy intake of omega 3s could reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease and heart attacks, but this effect seems to take place over at least a year of supplement usage.¹¹ Omega 3 supplementation may also help you to maintain a healthy body weight over the course of your whole life, but this certainly doesn’t happen in the short term.¹²
The potential benefits will vary depending on whether you choose to take cod liver oil, krill oil, algae oil, or one of many other alternatives. Everyone absorbs supplements differently, and the effect will likely be greater if you previously didn’t consume enough omega 3s.¹³ Rather than expecting results within a few weeks, getting into the habit of taking plenty of omega 3 fatty acids throughout your life could help keep you healthy for years to come.
Citations
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4153275/
https://portlandpress.com/biochemsoctrans/article-abstract/45/5/1105/66243
https://www.mdpi.com/252728
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10408398.2013.876959?casa_token=myv0lZiFwO8AAAAA:HNagnoyRQFRKRqlAuwxfkcJ6e7CGjfuBfuqQmsUTMG8Kx8gMqqeecx1fS06KuoRHQzE1kom1bg8o
https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Omega3FattyAcids-HealthProfessional/#en5
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0024320518302303; https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/8/3/128; https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1933287416304135
https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/omega3-supplements-in-depth
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10408398.2021.1880364
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0161642013003370
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0165178115003844
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1567568813700059
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1467-789X.2009.00584.x?casa_token=TF4RmquQVbYAAAAA:yjhms6-GCuvloQxnsYX1BsT7UA_DK1wdzLHrRmRmSll7F-mKbTsl6Q_CjqfQtD59SH9Pi7PeXk9TtVc
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0889159111004685