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Mechanism of ActionKey BenefitsDosage & FormsIn the Singular FormulaSafety & PrecautionsScientific StudiesFrequently Asked Questions
Omega-3 (EPA+DHA)

Omega-3 (EPA+DHA)

EPA · DHA · Acide eicosapentaénoïque · Acide docosahexaénoïque · Huile de poisson

LipidsVascular tone

EPA and DHA are two long-chain omega-3 fatty acids that the body produces only in small amounts and obtains mainly from marine foods. They rank among the few actives with several firmly documented physiological effects. The best established is cardiac: EPA and DHA contribute to the normal function of the heart. DHA adds two roles of its own, maintenance of normal brain function and the maintenance of normal vision. At higher doses, controlled trials also measure a drop in blood triglycerides. With age, this foundation gains particular weight. Omega-3 tissue levels are one of the only nutritional markers correlated with longevity in large prospective cohorts. The omega-3 index, which measures their share within red blood cell membranes, places most adults below the 8% threshold deemed optimal. The Western diet supplies far less than traditional coastal diets.

Last updated: August 11, 2026

Mechanism of Action

EPA and DHA integrate into the lipid bilayer of cell membranes. This incorporation modifies membrane fluidity and influences the function of receptors and ion channels embedded within the membrane.

EPA follows a distinct metabolic pathway. Cyclooxygenase and lipoxygenase enzymes convert it into resolvins and protectins (lipid mediators that orchestrate the resolution phase following an inflammatory response). These molecules signal immune cells to halt inflammatory recruitment and initiate tissue repair.

Membrane incorporation also shifts the ratio between omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids in tissues. A ratio skewed toward omega-6 favors the production of pro-inflammatory mediators. EPA and DHA intake rebalances this ratio by increasing the omega-3 fraction available for cellular signaling.

Key Benefits

  • Strong

    The cardiac foundation, documented for over thirty years: EPA and DHA contribute to the normal function of the heart. The beneficial effect is obtained with a daily intake of 250 mg of EPA and DHA.

  • Strong

    The brain keeps its function with a sufficient intake: DHA contributes to maintenance of normal brain function. The beneficial effect is obtained with a daily intake of 250 mg of DHA.

  • Strong

    Vision is maintained: DHA contributes to the maintenance of normal vision. The beneficial effect is obtained with a daily intake of 250 mg of DHA.

  • Strong

    Blood triglycerides follow the dose: EPA and DHA contribute to the maintenance of normal blood triglyceride levels. The beneficial effect is obtained with a daily intake of 2 g of EPA and DHA. In 332 adults followed for four weeks, the decrease already tracks the dose between 0.9 and 1.8 g per day.

Dosage & Forms

Several omega-3 forms coexist on the market, with markedly different absorption profiles. Natural triglycerides (TG), the most common form, depend on bile secretion and fat digestion. Ethyl esters (EE), frequent in high-dose trials, are absorbed less well than TG. Krill oil phospholipids are well absorbed, at a high cost.

A fourth form is a free fatty acid lysine salt, solid and water-soluble. A randomised crossover trial compared the three forms in 21 adults, at a single dose in the fasted state, on the AvailOm® material: the lysine salt delivers 9.33 times more EPA and DHA over twelve hours than the ethyl ester, and 1.57 times more than the triglyceride. In solid form, the fatty acids stay stable beyond four years with no additive, where liquid oils turn rancid.

The retained effects were measured between 250 mg per day for heart function and 2 g for blood triglycerides. European health authorities consider that a supplemental intake of up to 5 g per day of EPA and DHA raises no safety concern, and set 1 g per day as the safe level for DHA alone.

In the Singular Formula

Inclusion rationale

EPA and DHA are among the few nutritional levers whose effect reads on a marker already present in the blood panel: triglycerides. That marker alone commands a reinforced dose, and only when it runs very high.

EPA and DHA contribute to the normal function of the heart (effect obtained with 250 mg/day), and DHA to maintenance of normal brain function as well as to the maintenance of normal vision (effect obtained with 250 mg/day of DHA). When measured triglycerides run very high, the delivered dose rises to the tier that carries a fourth contribution: the maintenance of normal blood triglyceride levels (effect obtained with 2 g/day).

DHA represents approximately 40% of polyunsaturated fatty acids in the brain and 60% in the retina, explaining its structural role in these high metabolic activity tissues. EPA acts through an entirely distinct pathway. Delivering both covers the two, where favouring one means giving up the other.

Selected form

Patented active

AvailOm® 50 High EPA is a lysine salt of omega-3 fatty acids, derived from purified fish oil and manufactured in France by Evonik Rexim. The free fatty acids are bonded to L-lysine obtained through fermentation. This ionic structure makes them water-soluble: their absorption no longer depends on bile secretion, which classic oils require. It also gives them an oxidation resistance that holds for several years without any additive, where liquid oils turn rancid. Dioxins, PCBs, heavy metals and aromatic hydrocarbons are controlled against European regulatory limits.

Formula dosage

0 to 2 g.

Dose expressed as active substance, excluding excipients and carriers of the raw material.

Synergies in the formula

The largest trial run on vitamin D3 and omega-3s tested them side by side. It followed 25,871 adults for more than five years. They work on different axes: bones and muscle function for one, heart function for the others. Magnesium contributes to normal energy-yielding metabolism, the register in which long-chain fatty acids are themselves used. Zinc contributes to the normal function of the immune system, on a register of its own. Vitamin K2-MK7 works on a different axis: it carboxylates osteocalcin, the protein that binds calcium to the bone matrix. L-lysine, finally, is not merely a neighbouring bioactive in the formula: it is what carries the fatty acids in the selected form.

Linked Biomarkers

Triglycerides

Safety & Precautions

EPA and DHA have a well-documented safety profile, backed by over three decades of daily supplementation. European health authorities consider that a supplemental intake of up to 5 g per day raises no safety concern in adults. Exceeding this intake is not advised.

Reported adverse effects are mild: digestive discomfort, fishy taste, burping. Their frequency rises with the dose.

Trials conducted in adults at high cardiovascular risk observed more atrial fibrillation, an irregularity of the heart rhythm, under omega-3 supplementation. The signal is stronger above 1 g per day; at 1 g, the largest prevention trial, run in 25,871 adults, remains neutral. Anyone already followed for an irregular heart rhythm can raise it with their healthcare professional.

EPA and DHA influence blood fluidity. A systematic review of 52 publications finds no increase in bleeding or transfusions in people undergoing surgery. A randomized trial in 1,516 adults found no increase in major bleeding with 8 to 10 g per day before cardiac surgery. Anyone taking an anticoagulant or an antiplatelet agent raises it with their healthcare professional. With a vitamin K antagonist, this supplementation is reported to the professional monitoring INR. It is also reported to the care team before any procedure. Where a clotting disorder is declared, the formula brings the intake down to its lowest tier. The same applies where impaired liver function is declared.

The omega-3s selected come from fish: anyone allergic should abstain. During pregnancy and breastfeeding, the dose should be validated by a healthcare professional.

Scientific Studies

AuthorsYearTypeJournal

Marine Omega-3 Supplementation and Cardiovascular Disease: An Updated Meta-Analysis of 13 Randomized Controlled Trials Involving 127,477 Participants

Meta-analysis of 13 controlled trials pooling 127,477 participants treated for five years on average. The authors report lower rates of myocardial infarction and coronary heart disease death, and a linear relationship between marine omega-3 dose and the size of the difference.

Marine n-3 Fatty Acids and Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease and Cancer

VITAL randomised trial, 25,871 adults followed for 5.3 years on 840 mg of marine omega-3 per day. The primary endpoint, major cardiovascular events, was not met. Myocardial infarction, a secondary endpoint, occurred less often in the supplemented group.

Effects of n-3 Fatty Acid Supplements in Diabetes Mellitus

ASCEND randomised trial, 15,480 adults with diabetes followed for 7.4 years on 1 g of omega-3 per day. No significant difference in serious vascular events or all-cause mortality.

Low doses of eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid from fish oil dose-dependently decrease serum triglyceride concentrations in the presence of plant sterols in hypercholesterolemic men and women

Randomised placebo-controlled trial in 332 adults with elevated cholesterol, over four weeks. The fall in serum triglycerides tracks the EPA and DHA dose between 0.9 and 1.8 g per day.

Superior bioavailability of EPA and DHA from a L-lysine salt formulation: a randomized, three-way crossover study

Three-way randomised crossover trial in 21 adults, single dose in the fasted state. The lysine salt delivers 9.33 times more EPA and DHA over twelve hours than the ethyl ester, and 1.57 times more than the triglyceride.

Blood n-3 fatty acid levels and total and cause-specific mortality from 17 prospective studies

Pooled analysis of 17 prospective cohorts, 42,466 people followed for a median of sixteen years. The highest quintile of blood omega-3 levels shows all-cause mortality 15 to 18% lower than the lowest quintile.

Lutein + zeaxanthin and omega-3 fatty acids for age-related macular degeneration: the Age-Related Eye Disease Study 2 (AREDS2) randomized clinical trial

AREDS2 randomised trial, 4,203 adults aged 50 to 85 followed for five years on 350 mg DHA and 650 mg EPA per day. Adding omega-3 did not slow progression of age-related macular degeneration.

Effect of Long-Term Marine Omega-3 Fatty Acids Supplementation on the Risk of Atrial Fibrillation in Randomized Controlled Trials of Cardiovascular Outcomes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Meta-analysis of seven cardiovascular trials, 81,210 adults followed for 4.9 years on average. Supplementation is accompanied by more atrial fibrillation, with a wider gap in trials dosed above 1 g per day. At 1 g in primary prevention, the VITAL trial remains neutral.

Effect of marine-derived n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids on C-reactive protein, interleukin 6 and tumor necrosis factor alpha: a meta-analysis

Meta-analysis of 68 randomised controlled trials totalling 4,601 participants. Blood concentrations of CRP, interleukin 6 and TNF-alpha are lower under supplementation, in healthy subjects as well as in those with a chronic background.

Frequently Asked Questions

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