DHA (docosahexaenoic acid)

What is DHA used for?

Updated 9 Nov 2026

Short answer

The best evidence is for blood fats and pregnancy. In 11 trials, DHA from algal oil lowered triglycerides by 0.20 mmol/L, but raised LDL cholesterol by 0.23 mmol/L.[1] The large heart trials described by the NIH tested EPA and DHA together, or EPA alone.[2]

In pregnancy, omega-3 fats lowered birth before 34 weeks by 42% in a Cochrane review.[3] A 2026 review of 19 trials found that DHA in pregnancy did not improve the child's brain development, but birth weight was 72.5 g higher.[4]

For memory, a review of 10 trials in 2,327 older adults found no clear effect.[5] Some markers of inflammation fell more with DHA than with EPA in one trial.[6]

Sources (6)

  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. Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Fact Sheet for Health Professionals. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. ods.od.nih.gov
  3. Omega-3 fatty acid addition during pregnancy. Middleton P, Gomersall JC, Gould JF, Shepherd E, Olsen SF, Makrides M Cochrane Database Syst Rev, 2018. PMID 30480773
  4. Impact of Omega-3 Fatty Acid Docosahexaenoic Acid Supplementation in Individuals During Pregnancy on Neurodevelopment and Growth of Offspring: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Xie L, Zhou M, Lu L, Ning X, Song Y Dev Psychobiol, 2026. PMID 42494300
  5. Docosahexaenoic acid supplementation in age-related cognitive decline: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Balachandar R, Soundararajan S, Bagepally BS Eur J Clin Pharmacol, 2020. PMID 32060571
  6. 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

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?Can the body make its own DHA?Which foods are high in DHA?

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