EPA (Eicosapentaenoic Acid) vs. DHA (Docosahexaenoic Acid)
Among 2,024 on-market omega-3 fatty acids (epa + dha) products with an identifiable primary form, 58% use EPA (Eicosapentaenoic Acid) (1,173 products) and 37.7% use DHA (Docosahexaenoic Acid) (763).
| EPA (Eicosapentaenoic Acid) | DHA (Docosahexaenoic Acid) | |
|---|---|---|
| Quality tier | Tier 1 | Tier 1 |
| Omega-3 Fatty Acids (EPA + DHA) by weight | — | — |
| Share of market | 58% | 37.7% |
| On-market products | 1,173 | 763 |
| Median declared dose | 630 mg middle half: 300.1–1,000 | 248 mg middle half: 100–550 |
| Most common brands | Metagenics, Life Extension, Douglas Laboratories | Dr. Sinatra, Carlson, Douglas Laboratories |
Doses are declared per serving in mg. “By weight” is the share of the ingredient that is the nutrient itself (e.g. elemental magnesium in a magnesium salt).
Why EPA (Eicosapentaenoic Acid) is tier 1
Re-esterified triglyceride form of EPA/DHA showed the highest bioavailability index (124%) vs ethyl ester (73%) and free fatty acid (91%) in a 72-subject comparison; plain/natural triglyceride EPA is the well-absorbed baseline.
Source: Dyerberg J et al. 2010, PMID 20638827
Why DHA (Docosahexaenoic Acid) is tier 1
Same bioavailability ranking as EPA (rTG > natural TG ~ FFA > EE); algal-oil DHA (vegan source) was bioequivalent to cooked-salmon DHA at 600mg/day, and different algal oils were equivalent to each other at 200-1000mg/day.
Source: Dyerberg J et al. 2010, PMID 20638827; Arterburn LM et al. 2007, Lipids 42(11):1011-24, PMID 17713804 (algal oils equivalent at 200-1000 mg/day); Arterburn LM et al. 2008, J Am Diet Assoc 108(7):1204-9, PMID 18589030 (algal-oil DHA 600 mg/day equivalent to cooked salmon)