Omega-3 Fatty Acids also called Omega-3 oils, ω−3 fatty acids or n−3 fatty acids, are polyunsaturated fatty acids characterized by the presence of a double bond, three atoms away from the terminal methyl group in their chemical structure.
Healing Properties
Antiinflammatory
Omega-3 fatty acids have an anti-inflammatory effect.[1]
Behavior
Anxiety
Clinical studies have shown that omega-3 has a preventive and therapeutic effect on anxiety.[1:1]
Depression
Clinical studies have shown that omega-3 has a preventive and therapeutic effect on depression.[1:2]
Blood Health
Dyslipidemia (High Cholesterol)
Clinical studies have shown that omega-3 has a preventive and therapeutic effect on dyslipidemia (abnormally elevated cholesterol or fats in the blood).[1:3]
Coronary Heart Disease
Clinical studies have shown that omega-3 has a preventive and therapeutic effect on coronary heart disease.[1:4]
Disease / Symptom Treatment
Cancer
Clinical studies have shown that omega-3 has a preventive and therapeutic effect on cancer and related complications.
Diabetes
Clinical studies have shown that omega-3 has a preventive and therapeutic effect on diabetes.[1:5]
Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD)
A 2025 meta-analysis of 20 randomized controlled trials in 1,615 adults with NAFLD found that omega-3 PUFA supplementation may improve gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) and ultrasound-assessed hepatic steatosis, while no significant effects were observed for AST, ALT, MRS/MRI-PDFF liver fat, hepatic stiffness, or histology; the authors noted substantial heterogeneity, publication bias for significant outcomes, limited adverse-event reporting, and more overall adverse events in omega-3 groups.[2]
Metabolic Syndrome
Clinical studies have shown that omega-3 has a preventive and therapeutic effect on metabolic syndrome.[1:6]
Multiple sclerosis
Clinical studies have shown that omega-3 has a preventive and therapeutic effect on multiple sclerosis.[1:7]
Title: Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids and Cancer
Publication: Springer: Nutraceuticals and Cancer Signaling: Clinical Aspects and Mode of Action
Date: September 25, 2021 ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎Title: Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in adults: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
Publication: Clinical Nutrition
Date: May 20, 2025
Study Type: Meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
Author(s): Su Jin Kim, Su Hwan Cho, Jae Moon Yun
DOI: 10.1016/j.clnu.2025.05.013
PMID: 40441053 ↩︎