Blood pressure
Can EPA and DHA lower blood pressure?
A dose-response meta-analysis found small average reductions in blood pressure. This is an adjunctive research finding, not a replacement for blood-pressure treatment.
Updated September 24, 2026 · Editorial attribution: PV Griscom, M.Sc. · Independent clinical review pending
The question behind the headline
Adults in 71 trials; EPA, DHA or their combination compared with control.
What the finding does—and doesn’t—tell us
The modeled greatest average lowering was around 2–3 g/day. That analysis is not an individualized dose recommendation or proof of fewer strokes.
Read the underlying research.
Selected sources, not an exhaustive reference list. Rating draws on published results and review summaries; no independent full systematic review has been conducted. Source publication dates may precede this page’s update date.
Three questions to take forward
- Was the study population similar to the person or situation I have in mind?
- Did it measure an outcome people feel or experience, or only a laboratory marker?
- How do formulation, usual care, absolute benefit and adverse effects change the interpretation?
Study doses describe experiments; they are not personal dosing advice. Explore safety and limitations ↗