Omega-3 and Triglycerides (2026): High-EPA Fish Oils Compared
Omega-3 fish oil lowers triglycerides in trials, more at higher amounts, so how much to take for triglycerides is a question for your doctor. If you take fish oil, our pick is Viva Naturals Triple Strength: 750 mg of EPA a softgel, tied with Barlean’s Ideal Omega 3 for the most EPA we found, $0.30 per 1,000 mg, and IFOS tests its lots. Prescription omega-3 is a different product.
By Erin Rose Updated October 17, 2026 How we score
The 3 to look at, side by side
 Viva Naturals Triple Strength |  Sports Research Triple Strength |  NOW Ultra Omega-3 |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | ||
| Most EPA a softgel | One softgel a serving | Lowest cost |
| EPA a softgel | ||
| 750 mg | 690 mg | 500 mg |
| EPA and DHA a softgel | ||
| 1,035 mg | 950 mg | 750 mg |
| Cost per 1,000 mg | ||
| $0.30 | $0.34 | $0.21 |
| Testing list | ||
| IFOS | IFOS | No testing list |
| Form | ||
| Triglyceride (rTG) | Triglyceride | Ethyl ester |
| Check price | Check price | Check price |
NOW Ultra Omega-3 costs the least, but it is the ethyl ester form and it is not on a testing list; the other two are on IFOS.
Our pick: The most EPA a softgel
Viva Naturals Triple Strength
10.0/10 Our score
10.0/10 on our score, and the lowest cost per 1,000 mg of the tested oils
- EPA
- 750 mg a softgel72% of its EPA and DHA
- EPA and DHA
- 1,035 mg a softgel2,070 mg in 2 softgels
- Per 1,000 mg
- $0.30Amazon price
- Testing list
- IFOSLot reports online, checked October 17, 2026See the listing
- Form
- Triglyceride (rTG)
- Bottle
- 180 softgels$55.96 on Amazon
Why we pick it Each softgel holds 750 mg of EPA, tied with Barlean’s Ideal Omega 3 for the most EPA a softgel of the 9 oils we compare at $0.30 per 1,000 mg against $0.97, and 1,035 mg of EPA and DHA together. It costs the least per 1,000 mg of the oils on a testing list. IFOS posts a lab report for each lot it tests; in the one we read, the oil held more EPA and DHA than the label says.
What you give up The softgels are large. If you take several a day, ask your doctor how many.
EPA in every fish oil we compared
Strong fish oils differ most in how much EPA and DHA each softgel holds. Here are all 9, most EPA a softgel first. Costs are for 1,000 mg of EPA and DHA at Amazon prices.
| Fish oil | EPA a softgel | Per 1,000 mg |
|---|---|---|
| Viva Naturals Triple StrengthTriglyceride (rTG) · IFOS · 72% EPA | 750 mgof 1,035 mg EPA and DHA | $0.30 |
| Barlean’s Ideal Omega 3Form not stated · IFOS · 75% EPA | 750 mgof 1,000 mg EPA and DHA | $0.97 |
| Sports Research Triple StrengthTriglyceride · IFOS · 73% EPA | 690 mgof 950 mg EPA and DHA | $0.34 |
| NOW Ultra Omega-3Ethyl ester · 67% EPA | 500 mgof 750 mg EPA and DHA | $0.21 |
| Thorne Super EPAEthyl ester · NSF/ANSI 173 · 61% EPA | 425 mgof 695 mg EPA and DHA | $0.66 |
| Carlson Elite Omega-3 GemsEthyl ester · IFOS · 57% EPA | 400 mgof 700 mg EPA and DHA | $0.47 |
| Momentous Omega-3Triglyceride · NSF Certified for Sport · 50% EPA | 400 mgof 800 mg EPA and DHA | $0.83 |
| Nature Made Fish Oil 1200 mgForm not stated · USP Verified · 60% EPA | 180 mgof 300 mg EPA and DHA | $0.42 |
| Nordic Naturals Algae OmegaAlgae oil · 33% EPA | 98 mgof 293 mg EPA and DHA | $1.15 |
Nordic Naturals Algae Omega is the one algae oil here, for people who eat no fish; algae oils have more DHA than EPA. Every oil is scored in the best fish oil.
Why the number on the front of the bottle can mislead
The big number on the front is usually the fish oil, not the omega-3 in it. Only the EPA and DHA lines on the Supplement Facts panel tell you what you get.
We measured the gap
We read 899 fish oil labels in the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database, out of 5,434 it lists as on the market. 516 of them list both the omega-3 and the fish oil weight.
On the middle label, omega-3 is 30% of the fish oil weight, so a 1,000 mg softgel often holds about 300 mg. 64.5% of labels list omega-3 at less than half the fish oil weight. The middle label gives 600 mg of omega-3 a serving, across the 620 that list it.
Method: 899 labels from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database. We read the omega-3 line on each Supplement Facts panel and the fish oil weight it sits under. Our pick’s label: “2,500 mg” of fish oil and 2,070 mg of EPA and DHA in 2 softgels.
What triglyceride trials measured
These are study results, not treatment advice. In the clearest dose trial, 26 adults with triglycerides of 150 to 500 mg/dL took two amounts and a placebo for 8 weeks each. At 3.4 g of EPA and DHA a day, their triglycerides were 27% lower than on placebo. At 0.85 g a day there was no clear effect. Across 86 trials, a Cochrane review found omega-3 lowered triglycerides about 15%, more at higher amounts.
| Study | What it found |
|---|---|
| Skulas-Ray 201126 adults with triglycerides of 150 to 500 mg/dL, 8 weeks on each amount | 3.4 g of EPA and DHA a day: triglycerides 27% lower than on placebo. 0.85 g a day: no clear effect. |
| Harris 199742 people with triglycerides of 500 to 2,000 mg/dL, 4 months | 4 g a day of a prescription omega-3: triglycerides fell 45% from where they started, and LDL cholesterol rose 31%. |
| AHA advisory 2019American Heart Association science advisory | Prescription omega-3 at 4 g a day lowers very high triglycerides by 30% or more. Drugs with EPA and DHA raised LDL in that group; EPA alone did not. |
| Cochrane 202086 trials, 162,796 adults at varying heart risk | Omega-3 lowered triglycerides by about 15%, more at higher amounts. |
| REDUCE-IT 20198,179 people on statins with heart disease or diabetes, about 5 years | 4 g a day of a prescription drug that is pure EPA cut heart events by about a quarter against a placebo. Paid for by the drug’s maker. |
| STRENGTH 202013,078 high-risk people on statins | 4 g a day of a prescription EPA plus DHA drug: no heart benefit against corn oil, and the trial was stopped early. Stomach side effects: 24.7% against 14.7%. |
Store fish oil is not prescription omega-3
The big heart trials, REDUCE-IT and STRENGTH, tested prescription drugs, not store fish oil, and found different results. REDUCE-IT was paid for by its drug’s maker. If a blood test shows high triglycerides, ask your doctor what to take. Very high levels, 500 mg/dL or more, need a doctor’s care.
Talk to your doctor first
US and European regulators found no safety concern for adults at up to 5 g of EPA and DHA a day from supplements. At high amounts, stomach upset is common: in STRENGTH, 24.7% had stomach side effects against 14.7% on the placebo. In heart trials, fish oil also raised the chance of atrial fibrillation, an irregular heartbeat, by about a quarter, and more above 1 g a day (Gencer 2021). If you take a blood thinner or other medicine, or have a health condition, talk to your doctor before taking more than the label serving. The omega-3 dosage guide.
Frequently asked questions
How do I read the EPA and DHA on a fish oil label?
Look at the Supplement Facts panel for the EPA and DHA lines, not the big “fish oil” number on the front. In the 516 labels we read that list both, the middle label was 30% omega-3, so a 1,200 mg softgel often holds about 360 mg.
What is the difference between EPA and DHA?
They are the two omega-3 fats in fish oil. Both lower triglycerides. In head-to-head trials DHA lowered them more, but it also raised LDL cholesterol (Innes 2018). Most fish oils have more EPA than DHA; algae oils have more DHA. EPA vs DHA.
Is store-bought fish oil the same as prescription omega-3?
No. Prescription omega-3 drugs are made to a set strength and tested as medicines. The big heart trials used those drugs, not store fish oil. Store fish oil is a supplement and is not a substitute for a prescription.
Who should talk to a doctor before taking a lot of fish oil?
Anyone who takes a blood thinner or other prescription medicine, has heart disease or an irregular heartbeat, has a health condition, or is having surgery. Follow the label serving unless your doctor tells you otherwise.
Sources
- Skulas-Ray AC, et al. “Dose-response effects of omega-3 fatty acids on triglycerides, inflammation, and endothelial function in healthy persons with moderate hypertriglyceridemia.” Am J Clin Nutr. 2011. PubMed 21159789
- Harris WS, et al. “Safety and efficacy of Omacor in severe hypertriglyceridemia.” J Cardiovasc Risk. 1997. PubMed 9865671
- Skulas-Ray AC, et al. “Omega-3 Fatty Acids for the Management of Hypertriglyceridemia: A Science Advisory From the American Heart Association.” Circulation. 2019. PubMed 31422671
- Abdelhamid AS, et al. “Omega-3 fatty acids for the primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease.” Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2020. PubMed 32114706
- Bhatt DL, et al. “Cardiovascular Risk Reduction with Icosapent Ethyl for Hypertriglyceridemia” (REDUCE-IT). N Engl J Med. 2019. PubMed 30415628
- Nicholls SJ, et al. “Effect of High-Dose Omega-3 Fatty Acids vs Corn Oil on Major Adverse Cardiovascular Events in Patients at High Cardiovascular Risk” (STRENGTH). JAMA. 2020. PubMed 33190147
- Innes JK, Calder PC. “The Differential Effects of Eicosapentaenoic Acid and Docosahexaenoic Acid on Cardiometabolic Risk Factors: A Systematic Review.” Int J Mol Sci. 2018. PubMed 29425187
- Gencer B, et al. “Effect of Long-Term Marine ω-3 Fatty Acids Supplementation on the Risk of Atrial Fibrillation in Randomized Controlled Trials of Cardiovascular Outcomes.” Circulation. 2021. PubMed 34612056
- EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies. Opinion on the Tolerable Upper Intake Level of EPA, DHA and DPA. EFSA Journal. 2012;10(7):2815. US FDA letter of enforcement discretion on EPA and DHA claims, June 2019 (Docket FDA-2014-Q-1146).
- Our label study: 899 fish oil labels from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database. Testing lists read October 17, 2026: IFOS (Viva Naturals, Sports Research, Carlson, Barlean’s), NSF Certified for Sport (Momentous Omega-3); USP Verified (Nature Made), read September 22, 2026.