Role of the EPA: DHA dosing ratio in omega-3 supplements on blood fatty acid profiles and inflammation: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Khabir Z, Abdelhafez A, Camponovo F, Joyce P, Garcia-Bennett A
Critical reviews in food science and nutrition · 1 citation
How it was studied
- Design
- Meta-analysis (indexed by PubMed)
- Studied in
- People
- Main outcome
- Health markers and function
Who paid for it
- Funding
- Independent funding
- Government
- Australian Research Council Industrial Transformation Training Centre for Facilitated Advancement of Australia’s Bioactives
Based on 1 listed funder(s).
Publication
- Published
- 2026-01-22 · Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr · vol. 66 · issue 20 · pp. 3866–3887
- Publisher
- Taylor & Francis
- Cited
- 5 citations · more than 99% of similar papers · 14.1× the field average
- Impact
- Top 10% most cited in its field
- References
- 162 works
- Access
- Paywalled
- Research areas
- Fatty Acid Research and Health · Eicosanoids and Hypertension Pharmacology · Vitamin K Research Studies
- Keywords
- Dosing, Docosahexaenoic acid, Eicosapentaenoic acid, Bioavailability, Pharmacokinetics, Whole blood, Arachidonic acid, Fatty acid
- MeSH
- humans, inflammation, docosahexaenoic acids, eicosapentaenoic acid, fatty acids, arachidonic acid, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, c-reactive protein, anti-inflammatory agents, interleukin-6, dietary supplements, biomarkers
5 authors
From AU
- Zahra Khabir · correspondingAustralian Research Council; Macquarie University
- Amer AbdelhafezAustralian Research Council; University of South Australia
- Fabrizio F. CamponovoAustralian Research Council
- Paul JoyceAustralian Research Council; University of South Australia
- Alfonso Garcia-BennettAustralian Research Council; Macquarie University
Abstract
Most omega-3 supplements contain eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in defined ratios, yet their pharmacokinetic and anti-inflammatory effects are not fully understood. This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated how EPA:DHA dosing ratios, alongside EPA+DHA daily dose, influence blood fatty acid profiles and inflammatory markers across 96 clinical trials published before February 2025. Standardized mean differences with 95% confidence intervals were calculated. EPA+DHA supplementation significantly increased EPA:DHA blood ratios and blood EPA+DHA levels, with larger effects in healthy individuals. Supplementation also reduced arachidonic acid (AA) and key inflammatory markers, C-reactive protein (CRP), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and interleukin-6 (IL-6), particularly in participants with underlying health conditions. Ratios <1.0 produced the greatest cytokine reductions, whereas ratios ≥1.0 most effectively increased the EPA:DHA blood ratio and lowered AA. EPA+DHA doses of 1-3 g/day were associated with the most consistent reductions in CRP, TNF-α, and IL-6. Linear regression showed a strong association between the EPA:DHA dosing ratio and the EPA:DHA blood ratio and identified the EPA:DHA blood ratio as the strongest predictor of AA reduction. These findings indicate distinct ratio- and dose-dependent effects of EPA and DHA and highlight the importance of optimizing omega-3 formulations to enhance bioavailability and anti-inflammatory outcomes.
Abstract via Europe PMC. Copyright remains with the authors or publisher.
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