Omega 3 Absorption what Affects It
You can take the most expensive omega-3 supplement on the shelf and absorb a disappointing fraction of it if you get the basics wrong. Absorption is not a fixed property of the supplement. It is a transaction between the product, your body, and what you ate for breakfast. Understanding the variables that affect it saves you from wasting money on a dose your body never sees.
Fat With Your Fat: The Meal Effect
EPA and DHA are fat-soluble. Your body absorbs them through the same pathway it uses for dietary fat: bile salts emulsify the fats in your gut, lipase enzymes break them down, and the products are absorbed through the intestinal wall into your lymphatic system. If there is no other fat in the meal, that pathway is not fully activated.
The practical consequence is blunt: take your omega-3 with food that contains fat. An avocado, a handful of nuts, olive oil on your salad, peanut butter on toast. The specific fat does not matter much. The presence of fat does.
Studies comparing omega-3 absorption with and without a fat-containing meal show significantly higher blood levels when fat is present. We mention this because it is the single easiest thing you can do to improve what you get from your supplement, and it costs nothing.
Chemical Form: Triglyceride vs Ethyl Ester vs Phospholipid
The form your omega-3 arrives in affects how efficiently your gut processes it. We covered this in our label reading guide, but the absorption-specific summary:
Triglyceride form (TG or rTG): The natural form in fish and in re-esterified fish oil. Your digestive enzymes are well adapted to this structure. Absorption is generally good.
Ethyl ester form (EE): The form produced during concentration. Your body must convert it back to a form it can absorb, which adds a step. Published comparisons suggest triglyceride-form omega-3 is absorbed 50 to 70% better than ethyl ester in some studies. The effect is real but not catastrophic. Ethyl ester products still work. They just work less efficiently per milligram.
Phospholipid-bound: The form in krill oil and partially in whole-cell marine phytoplankton. Some evidence suggests this form is absorbed well, possibly because phospholipids integrate directly into cell membranes. The data is promising but less extensive than for triglyceride comparisons. We discussed the phospholipid question in our phytoplankton vs krill oil comparison.
Our phytoplankton product delivers EPA in a whole-cell matrix that includes polar lipids. Our DHA product is an algae oil. We are not going to claim superior bioavailability for either without more robust human data. What we will say is: take them with food containing fat, and the form question becomes less important.
Your Gut: The Variable Nobody Tests
Individual variation in omega-3 absorption is substantial and poorly understood. Your gut microbiome, your bile acid production, your intestinal surface area, medications you take (particularly proton pump inhibitors, which reduce stomach acid), and even your age all affect how much EPA and DHA make it from the capsule into your bloodstream.
There is no practical way to optimise for these variables without medical testing. What you can do is control the controllable: take your supplement with fat, at a consistent time, and at a dose that gives you a margin above the minimum. If the EFSA threshold is 250 mg combined EPA+DHA, aiming for 300 to 400 mg accounts for the absorption fraction you inevitably lose.
Emulsification: Why Liquid May Beat Capsules for Some People
Omega-3 oil in a softgel capsule must dissolve, release its contents, and then be emulsified by your bile salts before absorption begins. Pre-emulsified liquid omega-3 (or whole-cell powder mixed into a smoothie with fat) skips part of this process. For people with reduced bile production or fat malabsorption issues, the format can make a meaningful difference.
For most healthy adults, the difference between capsule and liquid format is small enough to be a convenience question rather than an absorption question. But if you have had your gallbladder removed, take acid-suppressing medication, or have been told you malabsorb fat, the format choice matters more for you than for the general population.
What Does Not Meaningfully Affect Absorption
Time of day: there is no evidence that morning vs evening makes a significant difference, provided you are taking it with food both times.
Whether you split the dose: 250 mg once daily or 125 mg twice daily produces similar blood levels over time. Convenience should drive this, not absorption anxiety.
Brand-specific "absorption enhancing technology": if a product claims proprietary absorption enhancement without published comparative data, treat it as marketing until proven otherwise.
What our research found
Emulsified omega-3 dramatically outperformed standard capsules in one crossover study. Plasma EPA and DHA levels were roughly three times higher from the emulsified form. Non-emulsified oil absorption was only 34 to 44 per cent of emulsified levels. If you have had gallbladder surgery or take PPIs, a pre-emulsified or powder-format product may make a measurable difference to what you actually absorb.
Ten to fifteen grams of dietary fat is all you need to optimise absorption. That is roughly a tablespoon of olive oil, a quarter of an avocado, or a small handful of nuts alongside your supplement. You do not need a high-fat meal. You just need some fat present when the omega-3 hits your gut.
Format decisions in our product range came from the absorption evidence. Our phytoplankton is a whole-cell powder rather than extracted oil, keeping EPA in a polar lipid matrix alongside other cellular components. We have not published a head-to-head bioavailability comparison. What we have done is design for the meal-effect pathway: a sachet mixed into food with fat present activates the same bile-salt emulsification as any fat-soluble supplement.
Sources
- Lawson LD, Hughes BG. Absorption of eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid from fish oil triacylglycerols or fish oil ethyl esters co-ingested with a high-fat meal. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 1988;156(2):960-963. PubMed
- Dyerberg J, Madsen P, Moller JM, Aardestrup I, Schmidt EB. Bioavailability of marine n-3 fatty acid formulations. Prostaglandins Leukot Essent Fatty Acids. 2010;83(3):137-141. PubMed
- EFSA NDA Panel. Scientific Opinion on the substantiation of health claims related to EPA, DHA, DPA and maintenance of normal cardiac function. EFSA Journal. 2010;8(10):1796. EFSA
- Arterburn LM, Oken HA, Bailey Hall E, Hamersley J, Kuratko CN, Hoffman JP. Algal-oil capsules and cooked salmon: nutritionally equivalent sources of docosahexaenoic acid. J Am Diet Assoc. 2008;108(7):1204-1209. PubMed
- Garaiova I, Rubin JS, Hodgson JMF et al. A randomised cross-over trial in healthy adults indicating improved absorption of omega-3 fatty acids by pre-emulsification. Nutr J. 2007;6:4. PubMed
Cara Hayes, MSc Nutrition and Dietetics (University of Sydney), writes all content in the Phytality Knowledge Centre. Read our editorial policy.
This article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Consult your GP or a qualified healthcare professional before starting any supplement.
Methodology and Disclosure
Phytality manufactures omega-3 supplements in whole-cell and oil formats. We have a commercial interest in absorption being well understood. Meal-effect data reflects published absorption studies. Triglyceride vs ethyl ester absorption comparisons reflect published bioavailability research. Individual variation factors reflect gastroenterology and nutrition science. We have not cited specific brand absorption claims. Our advice to take omega-3 with fat-containing food reflects consensus supplement guidance.
Last reviewed: March 2026
