Omega-3 fatty acids

Does omega-3 lower blood pressure?

Updated 9 Nov 2026

Short answer

A little. A 2022 review pooled 71 trials with 4,973 adults.[1] At 2 to 3 g of EPA and DHA a day, systolic blood pressure fell by about 2.6 mmHg and diastolic by about 1.6 to 1.8 mmHg.[1] The fall was larger in people with high blood pressure or high blood fats, and in older people.[1] The 2020 Cochrane review found little or no effect on blood pressure.[2]

For plant omega-3, one trial gave 30 g of milled flaxseed a day for 6 months to people with peripheral artery disease. Systolic pressure was about 10 mmHg lower than with placebo.[3] The trials in the 2022 review gave a median of 2.8 g of EPA and DHA a day (omega-3 for blood pressure).[1]

Sources (3)

  1. Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids Intake and Blood Pressure: A Dose-Response Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Zhang X, Ritonja JA, Zhou N, Chen BE, Li X J Am Heart Assoc, 2022. PMID 35647665
  2. Omega-3 fatty acids for the primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease. Abdelhamid AS, Brown TJ, Brainard JS, Biswas P, Thorpe GC, Moore HJ, et al. Cochrane Database Syst Rev, 2020. PMID 32114706
  3. Potent antihypertensive action of dietary flaxseed in hypertensive patients. Rodriguez-Leyva D, Weighell W, Edel AL, LaVallee R, Dibrov E, Pinneker R, et al. Hypertension, 2013. PMID 24126178

More about omega-3 fatty acids

What are omega-3 fatty acids?What is the difference between ALA, EPA and DHA?What are omega-3 fatty acids used for?Which foods are high in omega-3?Are omega-3 supplements safe?Does plant omega-3 (ALA) protect the heart?

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