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Omega-3 IndexEvidence & Dosage

EPA+DHA in red blood cells — target >8% for cardiovascular health.

Studies last updated

Evidence at a glance

Total studies
1,000
With abstract
50
Meta / Systematic / RCT
53
Highly cited
50
Publication years
1990–2026

Omega-3 Index in the context of Vitamins & Minerals

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Top studies on Omega-3 Index

Ranked by influential-citation count and publication year.

  1. International Society for Nutritional Psychiatry Research Practice Guidelines for Omega-3 Fatty Acids in the Treatment of Major Depressive Disorder.

    Psychother Psychosom2019Systematic Review79 influential citations

    Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a complex mental illness with unmet therapeutic needs. The antidepressant effects of ω–3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n–3 PUFAs) have been widely reported. The subcommittee of the International Society…

  2. The influence of dietary and supplemental omega-3 fatty acids on the omega-3 index: A scoping review.

    Front Nutr2023n=230Review69 influential citations

    <h4>Introduction</h4>The majority of the population do not consume adequate omega-3 fatty acids (n-3 FA), leading to global deficiencies, as evidenced by poor omega-3 status. An indicator of overall n-3 FA status, omega3-index (O3i) ≥8%…

  3. The Omega-3 Index and relative risk for coronary heart disease mortality: Estimation from 10 cohort studies.

    Atherosclerosis2017Meta-Analysis68 influential citations

    <h4>Background and aims</h4>A recent 19-cohort meta-analysis examined the relationships between biomarkers of omega-3 fatty acids and risk for coronary heart disease (CHD). That study did not, however, report hazard ratios (HRs)…

    Finding: A 1-SD increase in the Omega-3 Index was associated with a hazard ratio of 0.85 for coronary heart disease mortality.

  4. Effects of Dietary α-Linolenic Acid Treatment and the Efficiency of Its Conversion to Eicosapentaenoic and Docosahexaenoic Acids in Obesity and Related Diseases.

    Molecules2022Review68 influential citations

    The essential fatty acid alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) is present in high amounts in oils such as flaxseed, soy, hemp, rapeseed, chia, and perilla, while stearidonic acid is abundant in echium oil. ALA is metabolized to eicosapentaenoic acid…

  5. Krill oil improved osteoarthritic knee pain in adults with mild to moderate knee osteoarthritis: a 6-month multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

    Am J Clin Nutr2022n=238RCT68 influential citations

    <h4>Background</h4>Osteoarthritis (OA) is a major cause of chronic pain and disability worldwide. Treatment generally focuses on symptom relief through nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and analgesics, which may incur side…

  6. Red blood cell fatty acid patterns from 7 countries: Focus on the Omega-3 index.

    Prostaglandins Leukot Essent Fatty Acids2022n=167,347Study61 influential citations

    Red blood cell (RBC) fatty acid (FA) patterns are becoming recognized as long-term biomarkers of tissue FA composition, but different analytical methods have complicated inter-study and international comparisons. Here we report RBC FA…

  7. Fish intake, n-3 fatty acid body status, and risk of cognitive decline: a systematic review and a dose-response meta-analysis of observational and experimental studies.

    Nutr Rev2022Meta-Analysis55 influential citations

    Context Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) testing supplementation with eicosapentaenoic (EPA) and docosahexaenoic (DHA) fatty acids have failed to provide evidence supporting a suggested inverse association between fish intake and…

  8. Predicting the effects of supplemental EPA and DHA on the omega-3 index.

    Am J Clin Nutr2019n=1,422Study47 influential citations

    <h4>Background</h4>Supplemental long-chain omega-3 (n-3) fatty acids (EPA and DHA) raise erythrocyte EPA + DHA [omega-3 index (O3I)] concentrations, but the magnitude or variability of this effect is unclear.<h4>Objective</h4>The purpose…

  9. Omega-3 index and cardiovascular health.

    Nutrients2014review46 influential citations

    Recent large trials with eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in the cardiovascular field did not demonstrate a beneficial effect in terms of reductions of clinical endpoints like total mortality, sudden cardiac…

  10. A randomised controlled trial of vitamin D and omega-3 long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids in the treatment of irritability and hyperactivity among children with autism spectrum disorder.

    J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol2019n=111RCT41 influential citations

    Irritability and hyperactivity are common in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Because pharmacological treatments may have adverse effects, and despite limited evidence, caregivers/parents often use dietary supplements such as…

Frequently asked

What dosage was studied?
• n-3 FA interventions including fish consumption, fortified foods, combined eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) supplements, supplements of single n-3 FA (alpha linolenic acid (ALA), EPA, DHA, etc.), and supplements providing multiple n-3 FA.
Which population does the evidence apply to?
Most studies investigated: unknown.

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