How much omega-3 per day, by goal
For general health, 250-500 mg combined EPA+DHA per day. Lowering triglycerides takes 2-4 g/day under a clinician. The daily number by goal, and why you read the EPA+DHA line, not the total fish-oil weight.
What people ask us next.
- How much omega-3 should I take per day?
- For general health, 250-500 mg of combined EPA+DHA per day, met by about two servings of oily fish weekly or a supplement (NIH ODS; Mozaffarian & Rimm 2006). There is no formal RDA; agencies set only an adequate intake for the plant precursor ALA (1.6 g/day men, 1.1 g/day women), which converts to active EPA and DHA at just ~5-10%. Lowering triglycerides therapeutically takes 2-4 g/day under a clinician.
- Is 1000 mg of fish oil the same as 1000 mg of omega-3?
- No, and this is the most common dosing mistake. A softgel labeled '1000 mg fish oil' is often only ~300 mg EPA+DHA, the active omega-3; the rest is other fats. Always read the EPA+DHA line on the supplement facts panel, not the headline weight. To hit a 500 mg/day target from a 300 mg-per-softgel product takes two softgels. Our best-fish-oil ranking prices products by $/mg of EPA+DHA for exactly this reason.
- How much omega-3 per day to lower triglycerides?
- 2-4 g/day of combined EPA+DHA, which lowers triglycerides by ~15-30% in a dose-dependent way (Skulas-Ray et al. 2019, AHA science advisory). This is the dose used in prescription omega-3 products for severe hypertriglyceridemia. Because it is roughly 5-10x the general-health intake and is tied to a measured lipid problem, it belongs under clinician oversight, not open-ended self-dosing.
- Can you take too much omega-3?
- Yes. The FDA considers up to 3 g/day of EPA+DHA from supplements generally safe. Above that, very high intakes can prolong bleeding time and, in some trials, modestly raised atrial fibrillation risk. The triglyceride benefit plateaus in the low grams, so pushing well past a few grams a day without a clinical reason adds risk without added benefit. General-health intake of 250-500 mg/day carries none of these concerns.
- How much omega-3 do I get from eating fish instead?
- Enough to skip a supplement if you eat oily fish twice a week. A single 100 g serving of salmon supplies ~1,500-2,000 mg EPA+DHA, and sardines or mackerel are similar, so two servings weekly average well over the 250 mg/day general-health target. This is the lowest-cost route; see foods-high-in-omega-3 for the per-serving numbers and what does omega-3 do for why the target matters.
- How much omega-3 per day for a vegetarian or vegan?
- The same 250-500 mg/day EPA+DHA target applies, but the source changes. Flax, chia, and walnuts supply only ALA, which converts to EPA and DHA at ~5-10% (NIH ODS), so they are not a reliable EPA+DHA source. Algae oil is the only plant source of preformed EPA+DHA and is the vegan route to the target; price it against fish oil on $/mg of EPA+DHA in our best-fish-oil ranking.
Every claim, cited.
- [01]NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. Omega-3 Fatty Acids Fact Sheet for Health Professionals. ALA adequate intake (1.6 g/day men, 1.1 g/day women); no EPA/DHA RDA; ~5-10% ALA conversion.
- [02]Skulas-Ray AC, Wilson PWF, Harris WS, et al. 2019. Omega-3 fatty acids for the management of hypertriglyceridemia: a science advisory from the American Heart Association. Circulation 140(12):e673-e691. ~15-30% triglyceride reduction at 2-4 g/day.
- [03]Mozaffarian D, Rimm EB. 2006. Fish intake, contaminants, and human health: evaluating the risks and the benefits. JAMA 296(15):1885-1899. ~250-500 mg/day EPA+DHA from ~2 servings of oily fish weekly.
- [04]US Food and Drug Administration. GRAS notices and 2019 letter: up to 3 g/day EPA+DHA from supplements generally recognized as safe (with up to 2 g/day from dietary supplements).
The Larderlab Team builds evidence-led frameworks for eating, lifting, and stocking a kitchen. We cite every claim. We publish the spreadsheet when possible. We buy what we review at retail price. When new data lands, we revise with a dated note.
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