Fish oil labels: oil weight is not EPA and DHA
A fish oil pack carries three different numbers. Here is how to separate oil weight from the EPA and DHA figures.
Three different numbers on one pack
A fish oil label carries the weight of oil in each softgel, then separate figures for EPA and for DHA. They are three distinct numbers and the first is always the largest.
The oil weight describes how much oil is in the softgel. It does not describe how much EPA and DHA that oil contains, because concentration varies between oils.
EPA and DHA are declared separately
EPA and DHA are listed as their own lines, usually in milligrams. A single combined omega-3 figure hides the split between them, so look for the two individual lines.
Some packs also print a total omega-3 figure that includes other fatty acids. That total is larger than EPA plus DHA and is not a substitute for either.
- Oil per softgel: the weight of the oil itself.
- EPA: its own milligram line.
- DHA: its own milligram line.
- Total omega-3: a broader figure that includes more than EPA and DHA.
Per softgel or per portion
Figures may be quoted per softgel or per stated portion of two or more softgels. Both are legitimate, and reading one as the other doubles or halves your comparison.
Check the column heading above the numbers before copying anything down.
Form and species in the ingredients list
The ingredients list names the oil and often its chemical form, such as a triglyceride or an ethyl ester. It may also name the fish or the fish family used.
Antioxidants added to protect the oil, commonly a tocopherol, appear there too. None of this changes the EPA and DHA lines, but it tells you what the pack contains.
The softgel shell counts as an ingredient
A softgel shell is usually gelatin based plus a plasticiser, and its source is declared in the ingredients list.
If suitability matters to you, the shell is as relevant as the oil, and it is the reason some fish oil packs cannot describe themselves as suitable for vegetarians.
There is no NRV column for EPA and DHA
Nutrient reference values exist for vitamins and minerals. EPA and DHA do not have one, so these lines appear in milligrams with no percentage beside them.
That makes the milligram figures the only comparison available, which is exactly why reading them off the oil weight goes so wrong.
What the label tells you
The full ingredients list, the amount per portion, allergens, dietary suitability, directions and storage are printed on the pack.
Read the label before you take any supplement, and check the product page for the format, pack size and price before you buy.
