DHA (docosahexaenoic acid)

Does DHA lower triglycerides?

Updated 9 Nov 2026

Short answer

Yes. In a review of 11 trials with 485 healthy people, a median of 1.68 g of DHA a day from algal oil lowered triglycerides by 0.20 mmol/L.[1] It also raised LDL cholesterol by 0.23 mmol/L and HDL cholesterol by 0.07 mmol/L.[1] In trials that compared the two directly, DHA lowered triglycerides more than EPA.[2]

What the reviews found

A 2012 review pooled 11 randomized trials of DHA from algal oil in 485 people without heart disease. The median dose was 1.68 g of DHA a day.[1]

  • Triglycerides fell by 0.20 mmol/L.[1]
  • LDL cholesterol rose by 0.23 mmol/L.[1]
  • HDL cholesterol rose by 0.07 mmol/L.[1]

A 2011 review compared placebo-controlled trials of DHA alone with trials of EPA alone. Both lowered triglycerides, and DHA lowered them more in the 6 trials that compared the two directly.[2] DHA raised LDL cholesterol by 7.23 mg/dL against placebo, and by 4.63 mg/dL more than EPA in the direct comparisons. DHA also raised HDL cholesterol by 4.49 mg/dL, while EPA did not.[2]

A 2018 review of 6 high-dose trials with 527 people found the same pattern. DHA lowered triglycerides more than EPA and raised HDL and LDL cholesterol.[3] DHA also made LDL particles larger.[3]

A head-to-head trial

In the ComparED trial, 154 men and women with abdominal obesity took 2.7 g of DHA, 2.7 g of EPA and corn oil, each for 10 weeks, in a random order.[4]

  • Triglycerides fell by 13.3% with DHA and by 11.9% with EPA.[4]
  • HDL cholesterol rose by 7.6% with DHA and fell by 0.7% with EPA.[4]
  • LDL cholesterol rose by 6.9% with DHA and by 2.2% with EPA. The gap between DHA and EPA was significant in men but not in women.[4]

Why it may work

  1. DHA is absorbed like other fats, and fat particles in the blood carry it to the organs.[5]
  2. In the liver, omega-3 fats appear to slow the making of triglycerides and speed up their breakdown.[6]
  3. The exact mechanism is not clear.[6]

What the rise in LDL means

EFSA found that 2 to 4 g of DHA a day raises LDL cholesterol by about 3%, and judged that this may not change the risk of heart disease.[7] EPA up to 4 g a day had no significant effect on LDL cholesterol.[7] The ComparED trial found a larger rise with DHA, 6.9%.[4]

What is still unknown

The large heart trials described by the NIH tested EPA and DHA together, as fish oil or prescription products, or EPA alone.[5] They do not show what DHA alone does to heart attacks and strokes. The ComparED authors wrote that this needs more study.[4]

Who should be careful

People with high LDL cholesterol, and people who take a blood thinner, should ask a doctor or pharmacist first.[2][5]

Sources (7)

  1. A meta-analysis shows that docosahexaenoic acid from algal oil reduces serum triglycerides and increases HDL-cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol in persons without coronary heart disease. Bernstein AM, Ding EL, Willett WC, Rimm EB J Nutr, 2012. PMID 22113870
  2. Effects of eicosapentaenoic acid versus docosahexaenoic acid on serum lipids: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Wei MY, Jacobson TA Curr Atheroscler Rep, 2011. PMID 21975919
  3. The Differential Effects of Eicosapentaenoic Acid and Docosahexaenoic Acid on Cardiometabolic Risk Factors: A Systematic Review. Innes JK, Calder PC Int J Mol Sci, 2018. PMID 29425187
  4. A randomized, crossover, head-to-head comparison of eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid supplementation to reduce inflammation markers in men and women: the Comparing EPA to DHA (ComparED) Study. Allaire J, Couture P, Leclerc M, Charest A, Marin J, Lépine MC, et al. Am J Clin Nutr, 2016. PMID 27281302
  5. Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Fact Sheet for Health Professionals. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. ods.od.nih.gov
  6. Omega-3 Fatty Acids. LiverTox: Clinical and Research Information on Drug-Induced Liver Injury, 2017. PMID 31644217
  7. Scientific Opinion on the Tolerable Upper Intake Level of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and docosapentaenoic acid (DPA). European Food Safety Authority, 2012. efsa.onlinelibrary.wiley.com

More about dha (docosahexaenoic acid)

What is DHA?Does DHA lower inflammation?How much DHA is recommended in pregnancy?What is the difference between DHA and EPA?What is DHA used for?Can the body make its own DHA?

For education; not medical advice. Talk to a doctor before you start, stop or change a supplement.