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Vitamins and minerals · Answer
Most healthy adults are covered by about 250 mg of EPA plus DHA a day (EFSA reference), which oily fish such as sardines, pilchards or salmon can supply. Athletes and people who eat little fish often use 1 to 2 g a day. EFSA regards up to 5 g a day as safe, but high doses can affect bleeding, so check with a doctor if you take blood thinners.
No official recommended intake exists for EPA plus DHA in the US, so guidance comes from several bodies. Per the NIH summary:
| Situation | Reference amount of EPA plus DHA per day |
|---|---|
| Healthy adults | 250 mg (EFSA) |
| Pregnancy | 250 mg plus an extra 100 to 200 mg of DHA |
| Established coronary heart disease | about 1 g, preferably from oily fish (AHA) |
| Athletes and trial doses | commonly 1 to 2 g; trials range about 0.9 to 6 g |
| Raising the omega-3 index from 4.4% to 8% | about 1.4 g a day extra (ISSN 2025) |
Heart-disease and high-triglyceride doses should be set by a doctor. Pregnant women should discuss supplements with their clinician.
The label amount that counts is EPA plus DHA per softgel. For 1 g a day, using shelf labels in October 2026:
| Product | Softgels for 1 g | Cost per day |
|---|---|---|
| Biolife Fish Oil (300 mg each) | about 3.3 | R7.22 |
| Now Ultra Omega 3 (750 mg each) | about 1.3 | R7.66 on special |
| Dis-Chem Gold Omega 3 Supreme (600 mg each) | about 1.7 | R8.06 |
| Dis-Chem Gold Salmon Oil+ (200 mg each) | 5 | R10.55 |
At the 250 mg reference intake, the daily cost drops to roughly R1.80 to R2.60 on the same products. See the best omega-3 fish oil in South Africa for the full table.
No formal tolerable upper level is set. EFSA considers long-term intakes up to about 5 g a day of EPA plus DHA safe. The FDA regards supplements up to 5 g a day as safe but says labels should not recommend more than 2 g. Two large trials found that 4 g a day over several years slightly raised the risk of atrial fibrillation, so higher is not always better.
Evidence is moderate and inconsistent. Omega-3 may reduce perceived soreness and may support strength gains with sufficient dose and duration, but the ISSN says it is unlikely to add muscle size in young adults. It may help athletes in contact sports who eat little oily fish, such as rugby players, though that is experimental.
Take omega-3 with a meal that contains fat, and be consistent for weeks. If fishy burps bother you, split the dose, freeze softgels, or choose a more concentrated product. See also fish oil vs krill oil vs algae oil, omega-3 for heart and brain ageing and our best omega-3 page. The AIS lists fish oil in Group B.
| Product | Size | Price (source, date) | Servings | R per serving | Sweeteners |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Biolife Fish Oil 1000 mg 90 softgels | 90 softgels | R195 (Faithful to Nature, 2026-10) | 45 | R4.33 | not stated |
| Now Foods Ultra Omega 3 90 softgels | 90 softgels | R516.75-R689 (special vs regular) (Faithful to Nature, 2026-10) | 90 | R5.74 | not stated |
| Dis-Chem Gold Omega 3 Supreme 60 softgels | 60 softgels | R290 (Dis-Chem Living Fit, 2026-10) | 30 | R9.67 | not stated |
| Dis-Chem Gold Omega 3 Salmon Oil+ 1000 mg 90 softgels | 90 softgels | R190 (Dis-Chem Living Fit, 2026-10) | 36 | R5.28 | not stated |
Educational information, not medical advice. Speak to a doctor, pharmacist or registered dietitian before using supplements if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, under 18, taking medication, or living with kidney, liver or heart disease. Prices were observed in October 2026 and are not offers.