There's One Big Myth About Plant-Based Omega-3 Supplements

The term “plant based” is everywhere right now—and there’s no standard definition for what that phrase actually means.

This confusion may contribute to something I’ve been hearing as a registered dietitian: that consuming plant-based omega-3 fatty acids is the same as consuming fish-based omega-3 fatty acids.

This isn’t true. And it’s an oversimplification.

There are actually three kinds of omega-3 fatty acids: alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). In food, EPA and DHA from fatty, cold-water fish (salmon, tuna, sardines). ALA, by comparison, comes from foods like walnuts, green leafy vegetables, flax seed, and chia seeds, among others.

All omega-3 fatty acids are essential, which means your body doesn’t produce them as it would, say, vitamin K. So that means you have to consume omega-3 fatty acids in your diet.

And all omega-3 fatty acids have been linked to better heart health, but here’s the catch: the research is stronger for some acids compared to others.

The difference between plant-based and marine-derived omega-3s

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While ALA omega-3s are known to have some heart-health benefits, the evidence for EPA and DHA omega-3s is stronger and more specific. In particular, the science for EPA and DHA supports a risk reduction for coronary heart disease, cardiac death, and myocardial infarction (heart attacks).

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EPA and DHA may also lower triglycerides and blood pressure and there is strong evidence for cognitive health, prenatal/maternal health, and eye health.

ALA haven’t been shown to possess that same depth or breadth of benefit. While there is a role in the diet for plant-based omega-3s like ALA, the fact is, most Americans typically get enough ALA. Think about it this way: ALA is like a Honda Civic compared to a EPA/DHA Tesla. Both are cars, but both don’t quite operate at the same level.

On the other end of the omega-3 spectrum, nearly 95 percent of Americans don’t consume enough of EPA and DHA, according to the National Health and Nutrition Survey.

The main problem with most plant-based supplements is that they do not contain EPA or DHA due to the lack of the enzymes that synthesize these fatty acids.

How many omega-3s should you eat daily?

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Your body does a poor job of converting ALA into EPA and DHA. In fact, one study published in the British Journal of Nutrition found, that in healthy young men, only about 8 percent of dietary ALA converted to EPA (or 80 milligrams [mg] out of every 1,000 mg).

And DHA? That same study found that ALA converted to DHA at a maximum of 4 percent (or a max of 40 mg) and as low as 0 percent. So, at best, that’s a total of 120 mg.

While there is no dietary reference intake (DRI) for EPA and DHA omega-3s in the US, many scientific and governmental bodies around the world recommend a minimum of 250 to 500 mg of EPA/DHA daily.

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