How much fish oil should you take a day?

Electric Tiger Omega-3 is labeled for one softgel twice daily — 600 mg of combined EPA and DHA a day (360 mg EPA + 240 mg DHA). There's no single official daily target for EPA and DHA in the US; the closest government reference point is an Adequate Intake set for a different, plant-based omega-3 (ALA), and a separate FDA safety ceiling that sits well above a two-softgel serving.

There's no US RDA for EPA and DHA specifically

The Institute of Medicine's dietary reference intakes set an Adequate Intake (AI) for ALA — the plant-based omega-3 in flaxseed and walnuts — at 1.6 g/day for men and 1.1 g/day for women. They did not set a separate number for EPA and DHA, the two long-chain omega-3s in fish oil, because the evidence wasn't judged sufficient to set one at the time. Any "how much fish oil per day" figure you see quoted elsewhere is typically an organization's general recommendation, not a US dietary reference intake specific to EPA and DHA.

The FDA's upper safety guidance

The FDA advises that combined EPA and DHA intake from all sources shouldn't exceed 3,000 mg (3 g) a day, with no more than 2,000 mg (2 g) a day coming from dietary supplements specifically (NIH Office of Dietary Supplements). Our labeled two-softgel daily amount, 600 mg combined, sits at about a fifth of that supplement-specific ceiling.

What our label provides, and what a dose-response trial found

One softgel of Electric Tiger Omega-3 provides 300 mg of combined EPA and DHA (180 mg EPA + 120 mg DHA), from 1,000 mg of fish oil concentrate. The label directs one softgel twice daily — 600 mg combined. At that rate, a 100-softgel bottle is a 50-day supply. It's as low as $16.78 a bottle on subscription ($0.17 a softgel, about $0.34 a day at the labeled amount).

A five-month dose-response trial tested five daily amounts of EPA and DHA in 115 healthy adults — 0, 300, 600, 900 and 1,800 mg — and found the omega-3 index, a blood measure of EPA and DHA in red blood cell membranes, rose in a dose-dependent way; dose alone explained 68% of the difference in how people responded. Two of those tested amounts, 300 mg and 600 mg, match our one- and two-softgel daily amounts exactly. That's a lab measurement showing the fat is absorbed and incorporated in a dose-dependent way — not a claim about any downstream health effect, and we don't make one.

Higher doses exist, but they're a different product

You'll see much higher numbers quoted elsewhere — some prescription omega-3 products and clinical research protocols use several grams a day. Those are different products, at different doses, typically studied in people with a specific diagnosis under a doctor's supervision, not a general comparison point for an over-the-counter softgel. If you're weighing a higher intake for a specific health reason, that's a conversation for your doctor, not a number to infer from a supplement label.

Questions people ask

How much omega-3 per day should I take?

There's no single official target for EPA and DHA specifically. Our label directs one softgel twice daily (600 mg combined), which sits well under the FDA's 2,000 mg/day supplement guidance. The right amount for your situation is worth discussing with a doctor, especially if you're considering an amount above label directions.

How much omega-3 is in salmon?

A 3-ounce cooked serving of salmon typically provides somewhere over 1,000 mg of combined EPA and DHA, though it varies by species and preparation (USDA FoodData Central) — more than our labeled two-softgel daily amount in a single serving of fish.

How much omega-3 is too much?

The FDA's guidance is not to exceed 2,000 mg/day of combined EPA and DHA from dietary supplements, or 3,000 mg/day from all sources combined, including food. Our labeled two-softgel amount (600 mg) is well under either figure.

Is there a different amount for women?

The Institute of Medicine's Adequate Intake for ALA (a different, plant-based omega-3) is slightly lower for women than men — 1.1 g/day versus 1.6 g/day — but no US reference exists specifically for EPA and DHA by sex, so we don't have a sex-specific figure to give for a fish oil label.

What if I already eat a lot of fish?

Add up the EPA and DHA you get from food and supplements together when checking against the FDA's 3,000 mg/day all-sources guidance; the 2,000 mg/day figure applies specifically to the supplement portion.

Related reading: what is fish oil, when is the best time to take fish oil, and who should not take fish oil.