Fish Oil 1200 mg Softgels

Nature's Bounty Fish Oil 1200 mg is a supermarket and drugstore staple. Each rapid-release softgel holds 1,200 mg of oil from anchovy, herring, mackerel and sardine (a product of Peru) and provides 360 mg of total omega-3s in natural triglyceride form; the directions call for one softgel three times daily, preferably with meals. The weak spot is disclosure: the panel lists EPA, DHA and "other fatty acids" with no amounts, and the label says the 360 mg covers all three, so the true EPA plus DHA content is unknown.

That makes it nearly identical in strength to Nature Made Fish Oil 1200 mg, which we also review, but Nature Made states 600 mg of combined EPA and DHA per two softgels, publishes contaminant limits and is USP Verified. Nature's Bounty cites GMP standards, in-house testing and mercury purification, yet we found no USP, NSF or IFOS certification or published freshness data for this bottle. At about $22 to $24 at grocery chains (Walmart lists $29.99), 200 softgels cost roughly $0.37 a day at the label dose, or $0.34 per gram of total omega-3.

Expect modest effects. In the VITAL trial, 840 mg a day of EPA plus DHA did not reduce major cardiovascular events in older adults, although heart attacks were lower as a secondary finding. REDUCE-IT's benefit came from 4 g a day of a prescription EPA drug in high-risk patients, and a similar 4 g trial of EPA plus DHA (STRENGTH) showed none, so neither result applies directly here. Omega-3 supplements are linked to more atrial fibrillation, especially above 1 g a day, and the label tells anyone on blood thinners to consult a doctor. Buyers mostly report little aftertaste but large softgels.