Omega-3 supplements are among the most common, second only to multivitamin-mineral supplements and vitamin D. According to the Cleveland Clinic, there's a good reason that so many people turn to omega-3s to boost their health: “Omega-3 fatty acids help all the cells in your body function as they should. They're a vital part of your cell membranes, helping to provide structure and supporting interactions between cells,” their experts write. While it’s best to get your omega-3s from dietary sources such as fatty fish and other seafood, nuts and seeds, plant oils, and fortified foods, supplements may also help you raise your levels and reap the benefits. Read on to learn five surprising omega-3 benefits that could boost your health.
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1 | Cardiovascular health
iStockThe American Heart Association has recommended omega-3 supplements for their heart health benefits for the last 20 years, so it may come as no surprise that cardiovascular health tops the list. However, you may be surprised to learn just how effective some studies have found omega-3s to be in reducing cardiovascular mortality.
"A comprehensive analysis of 38 studies involving nearly 150,000 people has revealed some intriguing findings about omega-3 fatty acid supplements,” notes Sarah Otto, co-founder and in-house nutritionist of Goodness Lover.“This research found that omega-3 supplementation was associated with a 7 percent relative reduction in cardiovascular mortality and a 13 percent relative reduction in non-fatal heart attacks," she explains. "They also had fewer heart disease events overall. While we need more research to fully understand why, it seems that omega-3 supplementation could be a simple way to give your heart some extra protection."
2 | Acne improvement
ShutterstockA lesser-known benefit of taking omega-3 fatty acid supplements is that they could help improve your acne-prone skin. In fact, Otto says that the findings of a 2024 study published in the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology could offer hope to those who struggle with chronic skin blemishes.
"Here's something pretty eye-opening: In a recent 16-week study, researchers found that almost all of their acne patients (a whopping 98.3 percent!) were low on Omega-3s,” says Otto.“But here's the good news: By tweaking the patients' diets to be more Mediterranean-style and adding some algae-based Omega-3 supplements, they managed to boost Omega-3 levels significantly," she points out. "The study saw patients' skin clear up—both the red, angry spots and the pesky blackheads and whiteheads. Even better, patients reported feeling happier overall."
3 | Cognitive benefits
Microgen / ShutterstockOtto points out that more than half of your brain is made up of fats, and a whopping 35 percent of those fats consist of omega-3s.
“These fatty acids are crucial for your brain’s performance, so make sure you’re fueling it with healthy, brain-boosting nutrients,” says Northwestern Medicine.
Otto refers to recent research on how fatty acids affect the brain as “exciting” and shares a 2022 study published in the journal Cureus.“A review of nine studies found that omega-3s can boost brain power in several ways: They improved learning and memory in older adults, enhanced blood flow to the brain, and even helped lonely folks better remember specific events from their lives,” she explains.
She adds, “While we still need more research to fully understand how it all works, these findings suggest that getting enough omega-3s—whether from the diet or supplements—could be a smart move for keeping your memory sharp and your mind quick."
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4 | Reduced stress
ShutterstockOmega-3s may decrease the body’s stress response, which can in turn reduce your risk of several chronic illnesses. In fact, according to the Mayo Clinic, “the long-term activation of the stress response system and too much exposure to cortisol and other stress hormones can disrupt almost all the body's processes.”
They note that anxiety, depression, digestive issues, headaches, muscle pain, cardiovascular disease, sleep disturbances, weight gain, and memory loss have all been linked to high cortisol levels.
"A recent study on omega-3 supplementation revealed some exciting findings about how these fatty acids might help our bodies handle stress,” says Otto, referring to a study published in the journal Molecular Psychiatry. “The people taking the highest dose of omega-3s ended up with 19 percent less of the stress hormone cortisol in their bodies when faced with stressful situations, compared to those taking a placebo."5 | Reduced inflammation
fongbeerredhot / ShutterstockOtto says this same study found that taking omega-3s could also reduce inflammation and offer protection at the cellular level: People taking the highest doses of omega-3s were determined to have “33 percent less of a substance linked to inflammation."
"But here's the really interesting part: Those taking omega-3s kept steady levels of telomerase—an enzyme that helps protect our DNA—after stress, while the placebo group saw a 24 percent drop," she shares.
"It's like omega-3s were giving their cells a bit of extra protection against the wear and tear of everyday life. While we still need to learn more, it seems that getting enough omega-3s might be a simple way to help our bodies stay younger and healthier, especially when life gets stressful," Otto points out.
