Fish oil products rarely meet recommended EPA, DHA levels to lower cholesterol

Serving sizes of different fish oil products do not usually provide adequate eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosehexaenoic acid (DHA) intake to deliver cholesterol-lowering benefits, according to a study.

“Omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA, often found in fish oil supplements, have been linked to cardiovascular benefits in proper doses,” the investigators said.

This study calculated serving sizes and EPA and DHA content of fish oil products to determine which ones contain appropriate amounts of EPA and DHA per serving to lower cholesterol.

A team of investigators identified products through the National Institutes of Health’s Dietary Supplement Label Database using the search term ‘fish oil’. They reviewed product labels for EPA and DHA content and assessed the number of units, such as capsules, gummies, or millilitres, necessary to obtain a total of at least 2,000 mg of EPA and DHA. Descriptive statistics were used to report findings.

A total of 492 products were identified, of which 231 were eligible for analysis. Two products (0.9 percent), both of which were liquid formulations, contained at least 2,000 mg of EPA and DHA in the standard serving size listed on the labeling.

The total amount of EPA and DHA per serving ranged from a low of 60.2 mg to a high of 2,684 mg, with an average of 697 mg. To achieve the recommended 2,000 mg of EPA and DHA, the number of servings needed from these fish oil products ranged from one to 34 servings, with an average of five servings.

“Instruction by a trained healthcare professional, such as a pharmacist, is important to ensure patients are taking an appropriate serving of fish oil to obtain cardiovascular benefit,” the investigators said.