Evidence Level
Omega-3 fish oil is among the most extensively studied supplements worldwide. The landmark REDUCE-IT trial (Bhatt et al., 2019) demonstrated that high-dose EPA (4g icosapent ethyl) reduced cardiovascular events by 25% in statin-treated patients with elevated triglycerides. For inflammation, a comprehensive meta-analysis by Li et al. (2019, 68 RCTs) confirmed significant reductions in CRP, IL-6, and TNF-alpha. The VITAL trial (Manson et al., 2019, n=25,871) found modest cancer risk reduction with 1g/day but no cardiovascular benefit at that low dose, underscoring that 2g+ daily is needed for anti-inflammatory effects. Mechanistically, EPA and DHA produce specialized pro-resolving mediators (resolvins, protectins) that actively resolve inflammation.