Omega-3: Why Everybody Needs It

Since your body cannot produce omega-3 on its own, these crucial healthy fats must be consumed through diet or supplementation.*

Most individuals' diets are sorely lacking in this healthy fat, despite it being essential to every area of human health. Studies show that supplementation in addition to food sources may need to be consider to help American adults meet recommendations.[1]

There are 3 main types of omega-3 fatty acids: DHA, EPA, and ALA. These are an essential component in the brain. DHA, in particular, makes up a large percentage of the omega-3s in the brain, and is thought to be important for supporting brain health. [2] .

You’ve likely heard by now that omega-3’s are a must-have supplement in just about any wellness routine.

Heavily researched and studied for their whole body-supporting benefits, these essential healthy fats are crucial to human development and healthy aging, as well as cognitive, heart, joint, skin, and overall health.*

That’s why more and more people are now turning to fish oil supplements as a way to safely and effectively get all the daily omega-3s they need for vibrant health.*

The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly: All Fish Oils Are NOT Created Equally 

With a saturated market containing thousands of fish oil supplement options, choosing the right high-quality omega-3 product can seem pretty daunting.

So how can you be sure that you’re investing in an effective fish oil supplement that will actually deliver powerful results?

When choosing a fish oil supplement, there are some things you may want to look out for.

What to Avoid in a Fish Oil Supplement

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What To Look For In Fish Oil Supplements

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• Fake reviews or extreme claims: Always beware of misleading marketing tactics, ‘Amazon-only’ products, and fish oil supplements promising miraculous or unrealistic overnight cures. These red flags can be indicative of deceptive products with fake reviews that can do more harm than good.*
• Unclear or misleading labels:  It’s a good idea to avoid omega-3 supplements (and any nutritional supplement) that don’t clearly state the quantities of the ingredients included.*
• Synthetic fillers and artificial additives: Avoid fish oil products that include cheap artificial ingredients, such as synthetic fillers, binders, and artificial colors & synthetic flavoring, as well as any unproven ingredients lacking in clinical research.*
• Suspiciously cheap or expensive products: Don’t risk your health or waste money on suspiciously low-cost fish oil supplements that likely contain cheap hydrogenated oils and lack proper safety testing, serving sizes, and potency.*
• Heavy metal contamination: Steer clear of vague labels lacking third-party lab testing and transparency, as these fish oil products may contain trace elements of toxins, heavy metals, bacteria, or other contaminants.*

• Made in the USA:To ensure that the fish sources in your fish oil supplement are held to the highest possible standards, we recommend always opting for American brands manufactured in registered GMP-certified facilities.*
• EPA & DHA content: Ideally, a high-quality fish oil supplement should contain at least 500mg of DHA & EPA combined for maximum efficacy. Always avoid products that don’t include the exact amounts of DHA & EPA on the label, as this may be a big red flag.
• Fresh from the source:  Fish oil supplements can become ineffective and potentially harmful when they sit on store shelves for extended periods of time. It’s always best to purchase your fish oil directly from the source whenever possible through a reputable online shop to avoid expired or rancid products.
• Third-party lab testing:  It’s especially important that your fish oil supplement has been independently lab tested and verified to be free from any heavy metals (like mercury) or other toxic contaminants, with certificates of analysis available upon request. This way, you can rest assured that the product you choose is the purest, safest, and most transparent option possible.

Top Omega-3 FISH OILS of 2023

Key Must-Haves

Important Criteria

EPA (min. 500 mg)

DHA (min. 300 mg)

Vitamin E

Made in the USA

90-Day Money-Back Guarantee

Third Party Tested

Subscribe & Save Program

Fish Oil

by Nature's Bounty

OmegaXL by Great HealthWorks

Ultimate Omega

by Nordic Naturals

Omega-3 Fish Oil by Sports Research

Low EPA (under 500 mg) Less than 500 mg EPA

Low DHA (under 300mg) Less than 300 mg DHA

What To Avoid

*No information provided

Note: We try to update product information as often as we can. Please visit product websites for more information.

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PROS

CONS

BOTTOM LINE

A+

GRADE

Top Omega-3 Supplements 2023

• 600 mg EPA
• 400 mg DHA
• 4 mg vitamin E
• Made in the USA with globally sourced ingredients 
• 90-day money-back guarantee
• 2-softgel serving size
• Third-party tested

• Only available online
• Due to popularity, sometimes runs out of stock

Primal Omega-3 by Primal Harvest is a premium fish oil supplement that features 750 mg marine lipid oil, 600 mg of EPA, 400 mg of DHA, and 4 mg of vitamin E. This omega-3 formula comes in softgels that our team felt were easy to swallow and, in our opinion, left no fishy aftertaste. We thought the serving size of two softgels per day was convenient to add to a supplement routine.

As all high-quality supplements should be, Primal Omega-3 is third-party lab tested and made in the USA with globally sourced ingredients in a GMP-certified facility. Our team felt that the product offered great value for money and liked that the brand has a convenient Subscribe & Save program which means you can order this formula through their convenient and hassle-free subscription service. By signing up for a subscription you get 20% off all products plus free shipping. Not ready for a subscription? The brand also offers great deals if you purchase multiple bottles at once. 

PROS

• 650 mg EPA
• 450 mg DHA
• Third party tested 

CONS

• No vitamin E
• 30-day return policy

BOTTOM LINE

Ultimate Omega is an omega-3 supplement by Nordic Naturals that contains 640 mg EPA, 450 mg DHA, and 180 mg other omega-3s. We like the quantity of omegas included in this formula and that it comes with a 2-softgel per day serving size. However, it did not include vitamin E in its formula and only comes with a 30-day return policy. 

B+

GRADE

2. Ultimate Omega

by Nordic Naturals

by Great HealthWorks

PROS

• Includes vitamin E

CONS

• Serving size
• Omega-3 content

BOTTOM LINE

3. OmegaXL

B

GRADE

OmegaXL is a fish oil supplement that contains omega-3s from green-lipped mussel oil harvested in New Zealand. We like that the product combines omega-3s with vitamin E and comes in softgels. However, our team felt that the serving size was slightly inconvenient at two softgels taken 2-3 times daily. 

4. Triple Strength Omega-3

by Sports Research

PROS

• 690 mg EPA
• Wild Alaska Pollock Fish Oil Concentrate
• Made in the USA
• 1 softgel daily

CONS

• 260 mg DHA

BOTTOM LINE

C

GRADE

Triple Strength Omega-3 by Sports Research is a one-a-day omega-3 supplement that features 690mg of EPA and 260mg of DHA from wild Alaskan Pollock. We like that this product has a small serving size at 1 softgel per day, is third-party tested in a GMP facility, and comes with a 90 day return period. Although it has both DHA and EPA, the formula only includes 260 mg of DHA. 

by Nature's Bounty

PROS

• DHA AND EPA
• Includes other fatty acids
• Third party tested

CONS

• No vitamin E
• Serving size

BOTTOM LINE

B+

GRADE

5. Fish Oil

Nature’s Bounty Fish Oil is a solid option for an affordable omega-3 supplement. It contains both EPA and DHA fatty acids and is made and third-party tested in the USA. The formula comes in a softgel form. In our team’s opinion, the recommended total daily serving size is fairly inconvenient as users are recommended to take 1 softgel 3 times a day with meals. This would mean having to always carry the product along whenever eating out. 

Our Choice

by Primal Harvest [1]

• EPA and DHA Omega-3s
• Vitamin E
• USA made with globally sourced ingredients 
• No Fishy Taste & Easy to Swallow
• 90-Day Money-Back Guarantee

Based on 3739 Reviews of Primal Harvest

These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA Food & Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. The information provided by this website or this company is not a substitute for a face-to-face consultation with your physician and should not be construed as individual medical advice. The testimonials on this website are individual cases and do not guarantee that you will get the same results. All content, including text, graphics, images and information, contained on or available through this web site is for general information purposes only.

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[1] Papanikolaou, Yanni, et al. “U.S. Adults Are Not Meeting Recommended Levels for Fish and Omega-3 Fatty Acid Intake: Results of an Analysis Using Observational Data from NHANES 2003-2008.” Nutrition Journal, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2 Apr. 2014, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3992162/. 

[2] NIH Fact Sheet for Health Professionals, Omega-3 Fatty Acids.

To see a list of our other references, please click here. 

CITATIONS

DISCLAIMER: This scientific research is for informational purposes only. The results reported may not necessarily occur in all individuals. Primal Harvest provides this information as a service but does not endorse it. This information should not be read to recommend or endorse any specific products.