Omega-3 Omega-3 supplements may help prevent and

treat depression and anxiety. EPA seems to be the most effective at fighting
depression.

An omega-3 fatty acid called DHA is a major

structural component of your eyes’ retinas. It may help prevent macular
degeneration, which can cause vision impairment and blindness.

Getting enough omega-3s during pregnancy and

early life is crucial for your child’s development. Supplementing is linked to
higher intelligence and a lower risk of several diseases.

Heart attacks and strokes are the world’s leading causes of death

Decades ago, researchers observed that fish-eating communities had very

low rates of these diseases. This was later linked to omega-3 consumption

Since then, omega-3 fatty acids have been tied to numerous benefits for heart
health 

These benefits address:

 Triglycerides:
Omega-3s can cause a major reduction in triglycerides, usually in the
range of 15–30%

 Blood pressure:
Omega-3s can reduce blood pressure levels in people with high blood
pressure
  “Good” HDL cholesterol:
Omega-3s can raise “good” HDL cholesterol levels

 Blood clots: Omega-3s can keep blood

platelets from clumping together. This helps prevent the formation of
harmful
blood clots

 Plaque: By keeping your arteries

smooth and free from damage, omega-3s help prevent the plaque that
can restrict
and harden your arteries

 Inflammation:
Omega-3s reduce the production of some substances released during
your body’s
inflammatory response .

For some people, omega-3s can also lower “bad” LDL cholesterol. However,
evidence is mixed — some studies find increases in LDL.

Despite these beneficial effects on heart disease risk factors, there is no

convincing evidence that omega-3 supplements can prevent heart attacks or
strokes. Many studies find no benefit.

Summary
Omega-3s improve numerous heart disease risk
factors. However, omega-3 supplements do not seem to reduce your risk of
heart
attacks or strokes.

Essential fatty acids

Main article: Essential fatty acids
Fish oil is a commonly used fatty acid supplement because it is a source of omega-3 fatty
acids.[42] Fatty acids are strings of carbon atoms, having a range of lengths. If links are all single (C-
C), then the fatty acid is called saturated; with one double bond (C=C), it is called monounsaturated;
if there are two or more double bonds (C=C=C), it is called polyunsaturated. Only two fatty acids,
both polyunsaturated, are considered essential to be obtained from the diet, as the others are
synthesized in the body. The "essential" fatty acids are alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), an omega-3 fatty
acid, and linoleic acid (LA), an omega-6 fatty acid.[42][43] ALA can be elongated in the body to create
other omega-3 fatty acids: eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).
Plant oils, particularly seed and nut oils, contain ALA. [42] Food sources of EPA and DHA are oceanic
fish, whereas dietary supplement sources include fish oil, krill oil and marine algae extracts.
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) identifies 250 mg/day for a combined total of EPA and
DHA as Adequate Intake, with a recommendation that women pregnant or lactating consume an
additional 100 to 200 mg/day of DHA.[44] In the United States and Canada are Adequate Intakes for
ALA and LA over various stages of life, but there are no intake levels specified for EPA and/or DHA.
[45]

Supplementation with EPA and/or DHA does not appear to affect the risk of death, cancer or heart
disease.[46][47] Furthermore, studies of fish oil supplements have failed to support claims of
preventing heart attacks or strokes.[48] In 2017, the American Heart Association issued a science
advisory stating that it could not recommend use of omega-3 fish oil supplements for primary
prevention of cardiovascular disease or stroke, although it reaffirmed supplementation for people
who have a history of coronary heart disease.[49]
Manufacturers have begun to include long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids DHA and arachidonic
acid (AA) into their formula milk for newborns, however, a 2017 review found that supplementation
with DHA and AA does not appear to be harmful or beneficial to formula-fed infants. [50]