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How Much Omega-3 Per Day Should You Consume?

By Rachel Link, RD, MS

December 12, 2022

Ever wonder how much omega-3 per day you need? While there’s not a set recommended daily allowance per day, it’s an important nutrient to consider.

The amount of omega-3 fatty acids that you may want to consume each day depends on a number of different factors, from your health status to which forms you get in your diet — along with the potential omega 3 supplements you take, such as Ancient Omegas - Whole Body.

Customizing your daily omega-3 dosage can also help boost your intake and ensure you get enough to take advantage of all the omega-3 benefits that this essential fatty acid has to offer.

Benefits of Certain Omega-3 Supplements

• Support joint health and mobility

• Promote healthy cognitive function and brain health

• Support a healthy response to inflammation

• Support cardiovascular health

• Promote healthy aging by supporting smooth, healthy skin

Omega-3 benefits can also include supporting:

• Healthy eye function

• Exercise performance

• A healthy response to oxidative stress

• A healthy immune system

How Much Omega-3 Per Day Should You Take?

Many people wonder: How much omega-3 should I take per day in order to keep levels where I want them with this key nutrient? And how much omega-3 fish oil per day is needed to support overall health?

The dosage recommendations can differ based on several factors, including age, gender and health status. It can also vary based on how much omega-6 per day that you consume as well as the specific type of omega-3 fatty acids found in your food or supplement.

For example, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) are the two active forms of omega-3 fatty acids. Both are commonly found in seafood and fish oil.

Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), on the other hand, is found in plant foods and must be converted into EPA or DHA before it can be used. However, conversion is extremely limited.

In fact, some studies show that only around 0.5 percent to 5 percent of ALA is able to be made into these active forms.

So how much omega-3 should I take per day? The suggested omega-3 dosage for the average adult is about 1,000 milligrams per day, but this dosage can vary based on a number of factors.

Dosage Recommendations

Here’s a quick breakdown of how much omega-3 per day you may consider for a few different reasons:

According to one meta-analysis, taking between 200–2,200 milligrams per day of omega-3 fatty acids could be effective for supporting brain and cognitive health in adults.

Some research suggests that omega-3 fatty acids can help keep hair strong and healthy. In fact, a study out of France showed that supplementing with omega-3 fatty acids, omega-6 fatty acids and antioxidants was able to support hair health, strength and growth.

Multiple studies have found that omega-3 fatty acids, in conjunction with an overall healthy diet and lifestyle including regular exercise, can have a beneficial effect on weight management. Although the dosage can vary based on many different factors, some studies have found dosages of 600–3,000 milligrams per day to be most beneficial.

For pregnant women, it’s recommended to get at least 650 milligrams per day of combined EPA and DHA, of which at least 300 milligrams should be DHA.

To support heart health, supplementation with 2,000–4,000 milligrams of combined EPA and DHA has been shown to be helpful.

Omega-3 Foods Intake Per Day

In addition to supplementation, you can also get more omega-3 fatty acids in your diet through food sources. Fatty fish, nuts and seeds are all great sources of omega-3 fatty acids, along with many other important vitamins and minerals.

Here are a few of the top food sources of omega-3 fatty acids:

• Atlantic mackerel

• Wild-caught salmon

• Cod liver oil

• Walnuts

• Chia seeds

• Herring

• Flax seed

• Albacore tuna

• Sardines

• Hemp seeds

• Anchovies

• Natto

• Egg yolks

Ideally, it’s recommended to consume at least two servings of fatty fish per week to meet your omega-3 quota. However, if you don’t regularly consume fish, you can also add a variety of other omega-3 foods into your diet to help get in your daily serving.

Other Considerations

Taking omega-3 supplements as directed can be a quick and convenient way to meet your omega-3 fatty acid goals, but can you take too much omega-3? While doses up to 5,000 milligrams have been shown to be safe, there is limited research on the long-term effects of exceeding the omega-3 daily intake limit.

Adding a serving or two of fish to your weekly diet along with other vegan omega-3 foods can be an easy way to meet your needs.

Final Thoughts

• How much omega-3 per day should you consume? The amount of omega-3 fatty acids that you can consume each day depends on a number of different factors, from your health status to which forms you get in your diet.

• Customizing your daily omega-3 dosage can also help boost intake and ensure you get enough to take advantage of all the omega-3 benefits that this essential fatty acid has to offer.

• Omega-3 supplements can support joint, brain, eye, cardiovascular and immune system health. They also can promote healthy aging and support exercise performance.

• EPA and DHA are the two active forms of omega-3 fatty acids. Both are commonly found in seafood and fish oil — as well as in Ancient Nutrition's Ancient Omegas - Whole Body.

• Ideally, it’s recommended to consume at least two servings of fatty fish per week to meet your omega-3 goals. However, if you don’t regularly consume fish, you can also add a variety of other omega-3 foods into your diet to help get in your daily amount.

Rachael Link, MS, RD, is a registered dietitian based in New York City. She completed her undergraduate degree in Dietetics at the University of Central Missouri and later received her Master’s degree in Clinical Nutrition from New York University. Rachael is passionate about plant-based nutrition and enjoys providing easy-to-understand information to readers looking to support their health.