Read your omega 3 label in 30 seconds
On a box of omega 3, the big number is almost never the one that counts. Here is the line to find, the sum to do, and a benchmark to see where you stand.
1. Ignore the big number
“1,000 mg fish oil” is the amount of oil in the capsule, not the amount of marine omega 3. EPA and DHA are only part of it, and that part varies from one product to another. The only way to know it: read it in the table.
2. Find the “per daily dose” table
Look for the nutrition table and the daily dose line: one capsule, two capsules, a spoonful, a number of millilitres. Every amount in the table refers to that dose, not necessarily to a single capsule.
3. Note two lines: EPA and DHA
Note the amount of EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and of DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), in milligrams. If the label only shows “total omega 3”, it does not say how much EPA and DHA you take. Plant omega 3 (ALA, from flax or walnuts) are not EPA or DHA: they do not count here.
4. Add up and compare
Add EPA and DHA for the dose you really take each day. For a manufacturer to be allowed to print certain statements on a label, the European regulation (Regulation EU 432/2012) sets a minimum amount per day. It is a good benchmark to read your total:
| Statement allowed on a label | Minimum amount per day |
|---|---|
| Normal function of the heart | 250 mg EPA + DHA |
| Normal brain function | 250 mg DHA |
| Normal vision | 250 mg DHA |
| Normal blood triglyceride levels | 2 g EPA + DHA |
| Normal blood pressure | 3 g EPA + DHA |
Source: EU register of health claims. These statements describe what a manufacturer may write, not a guaranteed effect on you.
Your label says what you swallow. Not what your body keeps.
Two people taking the same product do not have the same omega 6:3 ratio in their blood: diet, cooking oils and the fish you eat count too. Only a measurement tells you, with a drop of blood analysed by an independent laboratory.
Frequently asked questions
What does “1,000 mg fish oil” mean?
It is the amount of oil in the capsule. EPA and DHA are only part of it, shown in the nutrition table.
What are EPA and DHA?
Two so called marine omega 3, found mostly in oily fish and in some algae. They are the ones measured in the blood with the omega 3 index.
Do omega 3 from flax or walnuts count?
They are plant omega 3 (ALA). The body converts only a small share of them into EPA and DHA: they do not replace the EPA and DHA line on the label.
How do I know what really reaches my blood?
With a fatty acid blood test: it gives the omega 6:3 ratio and the omega 3 index, the share of EPA and DHA in red blood cells.