Omega-3 Supplementation in Healthy Adults

Evidence on Omega-3 Supplementation

Randomized clinical trials do not support recommending omega-3 supplements for primary or secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease despite promising observational studies 2, 3
Multiple systematic reviews have concluded that supplementing with omega-3 fatty acids is ineffective for maintaining health in the general population 4
Evidence from longer-duration studies showed mixed or no beneficial effects of omega-3 supplementation 3, 5
In clinical trials, omega-3 supplementation did not reduce the rate of cardiovascular events, death from any cause, or death from arrhythmia in patients with type 2 diabetes 3
Higher-dose supplementation decreased triglycerides but did not improve overall glycemic control in individuals with type 2 diabetes 5

Instead of supplements, the American Heart Association recommends consuming fatty fish at least two times per week as part of a healthy diet 1, 6, 7
This recommendation applies to both the general population and people with specific conditions like diabetes 1, 3
Foods containing long-chain omega-3 fatty acids and omega-3 linolenic acid are recommended because of their beneficial effects on lipoproteins and associations with positive health outcomes in observational studies 2, 3

Relying on supplements rather than food sources means missing other beneficial nutrients found in fish and plant sources of omega-3 7