“There’s three types of omega-3 fatty acids,” Cording goes on to say. “There’s ALA, DHA, and EPA. ALA is a plant source, and then EPA and DHA are both found in animal products—primarily fish.” Oily fish—such as tuna, anchovies, salmon, mackerel, and sardines—are especially rich in EPA and DHA, which is why they’re often featured in fish oil supplements. With so many fish oil and omega-3 supplements on the market and diverse factors like source, form, bioavailability, quality, traceability, and sustainability to consider, there’s a lot to unpack—so, let’s dive in. A few caveats for algal oil include the omega-3 contribution, cost, and balance. As nutrition scientist Ashley Jordan Ferira, Ph.D., RDN, shares, “Algal oil is one of the most expensive options in the omega-3 market, and while it’s an obvious solution for key segments with allergen concerns and vegan lifestyles, its omega-3 balance is not ideal. Algal oil is heavily skewed on DHA, with minimal EPA contributions, thus, the EPA plus DHA balance and totality is inferior when compared to a high-quality fish oil supplement.” It can be difficult to get enough of the other unique, science-backed omega-3s (EPA and DHA) when eating mostly plants. “The body can make some EPA and DHA from ALA, but it’s not an efficient process,” Cording reminds us. “So even though consuming only plant sources can help you meet your needs, it can be challenging to meet your needs without a supplement if you’re on a plant-based diet or you don’t regularly consume fish for whatever reason.” (And by regular fish consumption, we mean at least two times a week.) The main forms are triglyceride, ethyl ester, and phospholipid. The native form of fat is triglyceride for fish and humans. It’s also the most bioavailable form3 (i.e., more easily absorbed and accessible to your cells).* “For fish oil, the triglyceride form is where it’s at,” Ferira shares. “The triglyceride form is how marine omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA are found in the fat of the fish—and how we consume and absorb fat in our diet. In other words, it’s the form found in nature and native to the fish.” Fish oil comes from many types of fish—including salmon, anchovies, tuna, sardines, herring, and mackerel. We recommend choosing fish oil derived from a thin fish (such as anchovies or sardines), as those are less likely to have high levels of mercury and other metals than bigger fish. Ferira explains that, of course, this is not a concern when taking top-notch fish oil, as “high-quality fish oil products are highly purified to achieve negligible trace levels of contaminants like heavy metals.” Krill oil contains EPA and DHA in the form of triglycerides and phospholipids. Interestingly, krill have a very short lifespan and don’t accumulate many toxins. Additionally, krill oil contains very small levels of an antioxidant called astaxanthin that provides health benefits and buffers it from oxidation4.* If you’re in the 10% of Americans5 who actually eat two or more servings of oily fish per week, you might not need to take a supplement every day to meet baseline levels of omega-3s. Or you may still leverage an omega-3 supplement to meet the higher levels recommended by the American Heart Association6 for cardioprotection (i.e., 1 gram or more of EPA and DHA daily).* If you’re in the other 90%, you’re definitely not alone, and there’s no need to stress. There are high-quality omega-3 supplements out there to help you thrive on daily omega-3 intake so you can reap the benefits, just like avid fish-eaters. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the plethora of omega-3 supplements to choose from, Ferira recommends you focus on these five factors:
