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Everyday Health
6 Health Benefits of Fish Oil
By By Jessica Migala. Medically Reviewed by Reyna Franco, RDN,
23 hours ago
Fish oil supplements are a popular way to get beneficial omega-3 fatty acids. Adobe Stock The potential benefits of fish oil are often attributed to omega-3 fatty acids, which are healthy fats that perform many important functions in the body. Omega-3s make up cell membranes, including those in your eyes and brain, and support interactions between cells. Omega-3s also have anti-inflammatory properties. Since chronic inflammation may be one driver of chronic disease, getting omega-3s through fish oil is thought to reduce the risk of many health problems.
Because your body can't make omega-3s on its own, you need to get it from food or supplement. Here's where fish oil supplements may help.
Fish Oil Nutrition Facts
Here's a closer look at the nutrients in 1 tablespoon (tbsp) of cod liver fish oil.
Calories: 123
Total Fat: 13.6 grams (g)
Saturated Fat: 3 g
Trans Fat: 0
Cholesterol: 77.5 milligrams (mg)
Sodium: 0
Total Carbohydrate: 0
Dietary Fiber: 0
Total Sugars: 0
Added Sugars: 0
Protein: 0
Vitamin D: 34 micrograms (mcg)
Vitamin C: 0
Calcium: 0
Iron: 0
Potassium: 0
6 Possible Health Benefits of Fish Oil You Should Know About
Here are six ways fish oil may help your health.
1. Fish Oil May Support Heart Health
"Multiple studies show diets high in fish are associated with a lower risk of heart disease," says Deepak L. Bhatt, MD, MPH , director of the Mount Sinai Fuster Heart Hospital and the Dr. Valentin Fuster Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City. The heart-health benefits of fish and fish oil can likely be traced to omega-3s. An analysis of 38 randomized controlled trials found that consuming omega-3 fatty acids was associated with a reduction in heart disease severity and death. However, it's too early to say that taking fish oil will prevent heart disease or complications. Focus on eating seafood one to four times per week to protect your heart, per the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH). If you don't like fish or are vegetarian or vegan, eat foods that contain alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), a type of omega-3 fatty acid found in plant-based foods like walnuts, flaxseed, chia seeds , and leafy greens, Dr. Bhatt recommends.
2. Fish Oil May Support Brain Health
Fish can certainly play a role in brain health, says Nicole M. Avena, PhD, associate professor of neuroscience at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City. "People who consume omega-3 fatty acids regularly are at a reduced risk for cognitive decline later in life, and may have their stroke risk reduced as well," Dr. Avena says. Omega-3 fatty acids can be found in brain cells, where they keep cell membranes healthy and help the cells communicate with one another. It may be best to get your omega-3s from fish to maintain brain health. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) says that their research in 2015 found that taking omega-3 in supplement form did not benefit cognitive health compared to a placebo. Another trial found that elderly adults with memory complaints who took about a 1-gram combined dose of omega-3s did not stall cognitive decline better than those who took a placebo.
3. Fish Oil May Boost Mood
Omega-3s have anti-inflammatory properties that experts think can help improve mood disorders like depression .
In one study of people with mild to moderate depression, those who took an omega-3 fatty acid supplement with an antidepressant saw more significant improvements in depression symptoms than those who took a supplement or an antidepressant alone. Still, research has only shown a weak link between omega-3s and reduced depression, Avena says. One review, for example, says that studies have made conflicting conclusions on the efficacy of omega-3s for depression. Therefore, more data is needed before experts can recommend getting omega-3s through fish oil to boost mood.
4. Fish Oil May Support Eye Health
Research suggests that people who eat diets containing fish have a lower risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the leading cause of vision loss for older adults. AMD occurs when aging damages the macula (the area in the back of the eye that controls straight-ahead vision), causing blurred vision up close and far away. However, studies show that fish oil supplements don't reduce AMD risk, so it may be best to stick to fatty fish for AMD-lowering benefits.
5. Fish Oil May Reduce Joint Pain
Credit the anti-inflammatory properties of fish oil for potentially quelling joint pain.
In a review that looked at 20 clinical trials examining omega-3 fish oil supplements in rheumatoid arthritis , 16 trials found that participants' symptoms improved. The researchers also looked at four clinical trials in osteoarthritis , and found that three of those trials showed an improvement in joint stiffness, pain, and function from taking fish oil.
Talk to your doctor about what role omega-3s may play in your arthritis management plan.
6. Fish Oil May Promote Infant Development
Omega-3s are important for brain development in a fetus and after a baby is born, according to research. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends that pregnant and breastfeeding women eat two servings of low-mercury fish per week (avoid bigeye tuna, king mackerel, marlin, orange roughy, shark, swordfish, tilefish, and limit albacore tuna).
Most prenatals also contain docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), a type of omega-3 found in fish oil. So, there may be no reason to take an additional fish oil supplement while pregnant, says Avena, who is also the author of What to Eat When You're Pregnant .
How to Incorporate Fish Oil Into Your Lifestyle
Consider using fish and seafood to meet your omega-3 needs before turning to fish oil. The NIH does not specifically recommend regularly consuming fish oil supplements, but they recommend Americans consume about 8 ounces of fish and seafood, especially foods high in omega-3s, per week. Fish and seafood that is high in omega-3s are fatty fish (any oily fish with more than 5 percent fat) and shellfish, including anchovies, herring, mackerel, Pacific oysters, salmon, sardines, and trout. Eight ounces of fish and seafood per week roughly equates to two meals, meaning you don't have to consume fish oil daily to get the benefits. If you're still interested in trying fish oil, talk with your doctor first. Fish oil supplements come with potential side effects, such as heartburn , nausea , diarrhea, rash, and bad breath. And high doses of omega-3s can increase the risk of atrial fibrillation - an irregular heartbeat - and potentially raise the risk of bleeding, Bhatt says.
Fish oil supplements also pose a danger to people allergic to fish and shellfish (some formulations include shellfish).
In addition, taking any supplement when you don't need it costs money, and you may be better off directing your time, attention, and resources to eating omega-3-containing foods in the context of a healthy diet, Bhatt says.
The Takeaway
Fish oil supplements are high in omega-3 fatty acids, a healthy fat with anti-inflammatory properties. Getting omega-3 fatty acids through fish or fish oil may benefit your heart, brain, eyes, mood, and more. Because fish oil supplements come with potential side effects, consider using fish and seafood to meet your omega-3 needs before turning to fish oil supplements.
Editorial Sources and Fact-Checking
Everyday Health follows strict sourcing guidelines to ensure the accuracy of its content, outlined in our editorial policy . We use only trustworthy sources, including peer-reviewed studies, board-certified medical experts, patients with lived experience, and information from top institutions.
Mildenberger J et al. N-3 PUFAs Induce Inflammatory Tolerance by Formation of KEAP1-Containing SQSTM1/p62-Bodies and Activation of NFE2L2. Autophagy . August 25, 2017.
Dyall SC. Long-Chain Omega-3 Fatty Acids and the Brain: A Review of the Independent and Shared Effects of EPA, DPA and DHA. Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience . 2015.
NIH Study Shows No Benefit of Omega-3 or Other Nutritional Supplements for Cognitive Decline. National Institutes of Health . August 25, 2015.
Andrieu S et al. Effect of Long-Term Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid Supplementation With or Without Multidomain Intervention on Cognitive Function in Elderly Adults With Memory Complaints (MAPT): A Randomised, Placebo-Controlled Trial. The Lancet Neurology . May 2017.
Mehdi S et al. Omega-3 Fatty Acids Supplementation in the Treatment of Depression: An Observational Study. Journal of Personalized Medicine . February 2023.
Zhu W et al. Fish Consumption and Age-Related Macular Degeneration Incidence: A Meta-Analysis and Systematic Review of Prospective Cohort Studies. Nutrients . November 2016.
Reyna Franco, RDN, is a New York City–based dietitian-nutritionist, certified specialist in sports dietetics, and certified personal trainer. She is a diplomate of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine and has a master's degree in nutrition and exercise physiology from Columbia University.
In her private practice, she provides medical nutrition therapy for weight management, sports nutrition, diabetes, cardiac disease, renal disease, gastrointestinal disorders, cancer, food allergies, eating disorders, and childhood nutrition. To serve her diverse patients, she demonstrates cultural sensitivity and knowledge of customary food practices. She applies the tenets of lifestyle medicine to reduce the risk of chronic disease and improve health outcomes for her patients.
Franco is also a corporate wellness consultant who conducts wellness counseling and seminars for organizations of every size. She taught sports nutrition to medical students at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, taught life cycle nutrition and nutrition counseling to undergraduate students at LaGuardia Community College, and precepts nutrition students and interns. She created the sports nutrition rotation for the New York Distance Dietetic Internship program.
She is the chair of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine's Registered Dietitian-Nutritionist Member Interest Group. She is also the treasurer and secretary of the New York State Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, having previously served in many other leadership roles for the organization, including as past president, awards committee chair, and grant committee chair, among others. She is active in the local Greater New York Dietetic Association and Long Island Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, too.
Jessica Migala is a freelance writer with over 15 years of experience, specializing in health, nutrition, fitness, and beauty. She has written extensively about vision care, diabetes, dermatology, gastrointestinal health, cardiovascular health, cancer, pregnancy, and gynecology. She was previously an assistant editor at Prevention where she wrote monthly science-based beauty news items and feature stories.
She has contributed to more than 40 print and digital publications, including Cosmopolitan, O:The Oprah Magazine , Real Simple, Woman's Day , Women's Health , Fitness, Family Circl e, Health , Prevention , Self , VICE, and more. Migala lives in the Chicago suburbs with her husband, two young boys, rescue beagle, and 15 fish. When not reporting, she likes running, bike rides, and a glass of wine (in moderation, of course).
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