EPA 180, DHA 120: why the per-softgel line matters more than the 1,000 mg
Nutriens editors
The biggest number on most fish oil labels is the fish oil itself: 1,000 mg, sometimes more. It’s also the least useful number to compare. What matters is a smaller line underneath, the EPA and DHA, and how many softgels it takes to get them.
Here’s how to read that line, using the label on Omega Foundation as the example.
The panel
Serving size is 1 softgel, and a bottle holds 100. Per softgel:
| Line | Per softgel | % Daily Value |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 10 | |
| Total fat | 1 g | 1% |
| Polyunsaturated fat | 0.5 g | not established |
| Cholesterol | 10 mg | 3% |
| Fish oil concentrate | 1,000 mg | not established |
| EPA | 180 mg | not established |
| DHA | 120 mg | not established |
Why 1,000 mg isn’t 1,000 mg of omega-3
Fish oil is a mix of fats. EPA and DHA, the long-chain omega-3s, are only part of it. In each Omega Foundation softgel, 180 mg of EPA plus 120 mg of DHA comes to 300 mg, about 30% of the 1,000 mg of oil. The rest is the other fats that come with fish oil.
That profile is common. The NIH Office of Dietary Supplements describes a typical fish oil supplement as about 1,000 mg of fish oil with 180 mg EPA and 120 mg DHA, and adds that doses vary widely. That variation is why the front number can mislead: two bottles that both say 1,000 mg can carry very different amounts of EPA and DHA.
Mineral labels have the same trap, where the front can show the weight of a salt rather than the mineral; see elemental magnesium and the milligram on the front.
Per softgel, then per day
The second trap is the serving size. Some labels list amounts per softgel; others list them per serving of two or three softgels. To compare two products, convert both to what you’d take in a day.
Omega Foundation lists amounts per softgel, and the directions say one softgel twice a day, with meals. So a day looks like this:
| 1 softgel | 2 softgels (one day) | |
|---|---|---|
| Fish oil concentrate | 1,000 mg | 2,000 mg |
| EPA | 180 mg | 360 mg |
| DHA | 120 mg | 240 mg |
| EPA + DHA | 300 mg | 600 mg |
At two a day, a bottle of 100 softgels lasts 50 days.
EPA and DHA, briefly
EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) is a long-chain omega-3 found in oily fish. It supports normal heart function.*
DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) is a major structural fat in the brain and the retina. It supports normal brain function and vision.*
Together they’re behind Omega Foundation’s label line: “Supports heart health, maintains brain function & nourishes vision.*” According to the ODS fact sheet, the body’s conversion of ALA, the plant omega-3, into EPA and DHA is very limited, which is why fish and fish oil are the usual sources.
“Fish oil concentrate” and where it comes from
The oil comes from sardines and anchovies, small oily fish. “Concentrate” means the oil is concentrated so that each softgel carries 300 mg of EPA and DHA combined. That is the number to carry into any comparison.
The other lines
- Calories, 10; total fat, 1 g. Fish oil is fat, so a softgel has a few calories.
- Polyunsaturated fat, 0.5 g. EPA and DHA are polyunsaturated fats; this line counts them along with the other polyunsaturated fats in the oil.
- Cholesterol, 10 mg (3% DV). Fish oil is an animal fat, so a small amount of cholesterol comes with it. Two softgels add 20 mg to your day.
- “Daily Value not established.” The double asterisk next to fish oil, EPA and DHA means there’s no Daily Value to compare against. That matches the ODS fact sheet, which notes that experts haven’t set recommended amounts for omega-3s other than ALA.
Other ingredients and allergens
The softgel is gelatin, glycerin and water, with vitamin E. Gelatin is an animal product, so the softgel isn’t vegetarian or vegan. The allergen statement is short: contains fish (sardines, anchovies). If you have a fish allergy, this isn’t for you.
If you take medication, ask your doctor before adding fish oil. The ODS fact sheet notes that omega-3 supplements may interact with blood thinners such as warfarin.
A worked comparison
Take an imaginary bottle whose front also says 1,000 mg of fish oil. Its serving is two softgels, its panel lists 150 mg EPA and 100 mg DHA per serving, and its directions say one serving a day. That’s 250 mg of EPA and DHA a day. Two Omega Foundation softgels give 600 mg. Same front number, very different day. Only the per-serving line and the directions told you that.
Compare any omega-3 label in five steps
- Skip the front number. Find the EPA and DHA lines.
- Check the serving size: one softgel, or two or three?
- Multiply to a day, using the label’s directions.
- Add EPA and DHA together, and compare that combined figure.
- Read the source fish, the softgel material and the allergen line.
For whether fish oil belongs in your week at all, start with the omega-3 question in an ordinary week of meals. For the daily routine, fish and gelatin included, read two softgels with meals. For label reading in general, see how to read a supplement label.
Your next step
Open the Omega Foundation page and find the EPA and DHA lines on the Supplement Facts yourself; once you know where to look, it takes seconds.
References
- NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Fact Sheet for Health Professionals.
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Daily Value on the Nutrition and Supplement Facts Labels.
- Omega Foundation label: Supplement Facts, directions and allergen statement.
