Fish oil supplementation: Is the dose adequate?

Prof Peter Howe, Scientific Advisor, Blackmores Institute Someone contemplating taking a fish oil supplement for the first time will be wondering ‘do I really need it?’, ‘what for?’ or ‘what benefit will I get from it?’ Having addressed this, the next questions are likely to be ‘what type?’ and ‘how much?’ Answering these is not straightforward, as there are so many potential indications for fish oil supplementation and, in most cases, clinical trial evidence is still limited and too rudimentary to define the optimal mix of the health-giving long chain omega-3 fatty acids, EPA and DHA, let alone the optimal intake requirements.