Best Fish Oil Supplements For Health and Support (Tested 2024)

Omega 3

Boost your overall health and athletic performance with these great fish oil supplements.

We always hear about fish oil supplements and how important they are for our overall health, whether you are a bodybuilder, powerlifter, or just the every day person who enjoys taking care of themselves. While buying other supplements, many people immediately go for things like protein powder and creatine and even other options multivitamins and amino acids. These are important to bodybuilding progress, you cannot forget to include things like fish oils.

While they are often found in many of the foods we already eat, such as fish, taking fish oil supplements as a dietary supplement can boost our overall health to keep us in the gym and off the couch. No matter the time of year, your body needs the absolute best to continue to thrive and see those gains we all know and love.

Typically you see fish oil supplements in two different versions, krill oil and fish oil. Although they are fatty acids, this is one kind of fat to keep around, and for good reason. Fish oil is one popular supplement many people take for a variety of reasons, including fighting anxiety and depression, improving eye and heart health, promoting bone and joint health, reducing inflammation, as well as keeping you in overall top shape to see your gains come to fruition and keep your athletic performance in top shape. Krill oil is another omega-3 supplement to consider that could potentially dethrone the popular fish oil by providing the same benefits. It has been observed that krill oil can enhance bioavailability allowing for better digestion than fish oil (1).

Our team at Generation Iron has put together a list of the Best Fish Oil Supplements for 2024 so you can be well on your way to boosting your own health and wellness while working to maximize your gains. A mix of both krill and fish oil, you can check out a few of both and see which one would work better for your lifestyle.

Best Fish Oil Supplements of 2024


Best Fish Oil Supplement Overall

The best fish oil supplement is out there and can work wonders for all your gains. Having a clean product that is naturally sourced with proper ingredients is key in giving you all the great benefits that a fish oil product can bring.

Nutricost Omega-3 Fish Oil

Fish oil is a very common supplement that many fitness enthusiasts will use to benefit their health. Check out Nutricost Fish Oil.
Calories 35
Protein 0g
Carbs 0g
Fat 3.5g
Number Of Servings 40

Each bottle of Nutricost Fish Oil Omega-3 Softgels contains 120 softgel capsules, providing an approximate 40 servings. Each softgel delivers a potent dose of 2,500 mg of high-quality Omega-3 Fatty Acids per serving, with every capsule enriched with a combined total of 1,200 mg of EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and 850 mg of DHA (docosahexaenoic acid). These softgels are carefully crafted to be Non-GMO and gluten-free, ensuring they meet dietary needs without any unnecessary additives. Furthermore, all Nutricost products are produced in a GMP-compliant, FDA-registered facility, adhering to stringent manufacturing standards for quality and safety.

nutricost omega-3

Pros

  • Clean and safe from wild caught fish
  • Non-GMO, Gluten Free, 3rd party tested labs from FDA registered facility
  • High dosage and budget friendly
  • From a reputable and honest company in Nutricost

Cons

  • Available online only

Price: $17.95/ 240 servings


Best Fish Oil For Bodybuilders

The best fish oil for bodybuilders will work to give you the best benefits towards those strength building goals while keeping you healthy overall.

Transparent Labs CoreSeries Krill Oil

Code GENIRON10 For 10% Off

Transparent Labs CoreSeries Krill Oil is a superior source of omega-3s that allows for more gentle absorption. Easy to digest, this will help promote better brain, heart, and joint health.

Calories 10
Protein 0g
Carbs 0g
Fat 1g
Number Of Servings 30

CoreSeries Krill Oil makes may not necessarily be fish oil, but it is certainly a great omega-3 supplement. Its krill oil is exclusively extracted from Antarctic krill species, Euphausia Superba, which is rich in the omega-3 fatty acids Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Using phospholipids, as opposed to triglycerides, separates krill oil from fish oil by being easier on the body when it comes to ingestion. CoreSeries Krill Oil can support brain, joint, and heart health with a high-quality, mercury free supplement.

Pros

  • High-quality krill oil with great absorption
  • Good benefits to brain, joint, and heart health
  • From a company who prides themselves on transparency and honesty

Cons

  • Only available on their website

Price: $34.99

Read our full review of Transparent Labs CoreSeries Krill Oil.


Best Krill Oil

When it comes to Omega-3s, not everyone is a fan of the fish oil. Krill oil has become more and more popular recently, as some studies are showing it can improve heart health more than standard fish oil.

Transparent Labs CoreSeries Krill Oil

Code GENIRON10 For 10% Off

Transparent Labs CoreSeries Krill Oil is a superior source of omega-3s that allows for more gentle absorption. Easy to digest, this will help promote better brain, heart, and joint health.

Calories 10
Protein 0g
Carbs 0g
Fat 1g
Number Of Servings 30

Making the list again is CoreSeries Krill Oil, from Transparent Labs. This option offers the best for an omega-3 supplement. Its krill oil is exclusively extracted from Antarctic krill species, Euphausia Superba, which is rich in the omega-3 fatty acids Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Using phospholipids, as opposed to triglycerides, separates krill oil from fish oil by being easier on the body when it comes to ingestion, which is great for bodybuilders. CoreSeries Krill Oil can support brain, joint, and heart health with a high-quality, mercury free supplement.

When it comes to bodybuilding, monitoring your overall health, especially for things like joints and hearts is crucial, so CoreSeries Krill Oil is a good option here.

Pros

  • High-quality krill oil with great absorption
  • Good benefits to brain, joint, and heart health
  • From a company who prides themselves on transparency and honesty

Cons

  • Only available on their website

Price: $34.99

Check out our individual review for Transparent Labs CoreSeries Krill Oil!


Best Vegan Omega-3 Supplement

For those looking for a vegan option, plant-based omega-3s do exist. Made with awesome vegan sources, you can get the same benefits while still fitting this into your lifestyle.

Performance Lab Omega-3

Performance Lab Omega-3 is a great supplement to optimize cell performance and overall vitality. Made from 100% plant-based fatty acids, this is sourced from natural algae and is a safe and effective option.

Calories 20
Protein 0g
Carbs 1g
Fat 2g
Number Of Servings 30

Performance Lab Omega-3 is an amazing supplement to optimize cell performance to promote whole-body health and vitality. This ultraclean omega-3 can enhance brain and eye performance, promote cardiovascular health, support muscles, and soothe joints through its ultramodern design made from 100% plant-based fatty acids. Sourced from natural algae, this safe and effective omega-3 has no fishy taste or smell and offers a nice alternative to your traditional fish or krill oil products.

Performance Lab_Omega-3_Ingredients

Pros

  • Clean and safe alternative to fish oil
  • Great benefits and an ultramodern design
  • From a reputable and honest company in Performance Lab

Cons

  •  A premium priced option
  • Only available directly from their website

Price: $39.00/ 30 servings

Read our full review of Performance Lab Omega-3.


Best Fish Oil For No Burps

One downside of some fish oil supplements is the burps and after taste, but with a high-quality product, you don’t have to worry about any of that affecting you negatively.

Kaged Muscle Omega-3 Fish Oil

Code GENIRON For 15% OFF

Kaged Muscle Omega-3 Fish Oil is a pure supplement to support brain and heart health. With high absorption triglycerides and fish-free burps, this supplement contains 100% wild caught fish oil.

Calories 30
Protein 0g
Carbs 0g
Fat 3g
Number Of Servings 30

Kaged Muscle Omega-3 Fish Oil makes the list again, but this time it is for no burps. While a fish oil supplement is great for anyone looking for a pure supplement to support brain and heart health, a lot of times you will get that nasty aftertaste-filled burp.

With high-absorption triglycerides and fish-free burps, this supplement contains 100% wild caught fish oil with 1,100mg of EPA and 900mg of DHA to promote healthy joints, as well as support brain and heart health. The superior absorption allows for these ingredients to hit you faster to optimize all 3,000mg of triple strength and max potency fish oil. A great option, this has extremely low oxidation value and is cleaned and purified to minimize heavy metals.

Pros

  • High-absorption triglycerides
  • 100% wild caught
  • Pure and potent fish oil
  • Great for joints and brain and heart health

Cons

  • Heavy metal testing says to minimize while others are advertised as totally free of

Price: $27.99

Read our full review of Kaged Muscle Omega-3.


Best Omega-3 Without Fish

Now, when it comes to taking your omega-3s, you might not want one with fish, and that is more than okay. Not everyone likes fish, we understand that.

Swolverine Krill Oil

98% of all Americans fall below the general requirement of Omega-3 intake, but not everyone is a fan of standard fish oil. So, krill oil is a good substitute.

Calories 0
Protein 0g
Carbs 0g
Fat 0g
Number Of Servings 60

Packed with 500mg of Omega-3 essential fatty acids as well as plenty of EPA and DHA, this product is great for someone looking to get in the essential fatty acids in an efficient manner. Swolverine’s Krill Oil also contains phospholipids and Astaxanthin, which are scientifically proven to provide a variety of benefits such as support your heart, promote brain health, reduce inflammation, improve immune system function, reverse the signs of aging, and improve performance. Swolverine also provides an added hint of vanilla which helps eliminate any aftertaste you get with a lot of omega-3 supplements.

Pros

  • Good amount of EPA/DHA
  • No bad aftertaste
  • Includes Astaxanthin

Cons

  • Vanilla is not a flavor that everyone likes

Price: $29.99


Best Fish Oil For Pain Inflammation

Inflammation can be a drag and fish oil products can help greatly with your pain needs. Great ingredients that are dosed effectively are perfect for whatever you need to help alleviate inflammation.

Kaged Muscle Omega-3 Fish Oil

Code GENIRON For 15% OFF

Kaged Muscle Omega-3 Fish Oil is a pure supplement to support brain and heart health. With high absorption triglycerides and fish-free burps, this supplement contains 100% wild caught fish oil.

Calories 30
Protein 0g
Carbs 0g
Fat 3g
Number Of Servings 30

Kaged Muscle Omega-3 Fish Oil makes the list one more time, but this time it is to help reduce pain inflammation. Aside from being great for anyone looking for a pure supplement to support brain and heart health and keep away the fish-free burps, Kaged Muscle Omega-3 Fish Oil provides superior absorption which allows for its ingredients to hit you faster and more effectively to optimize all 3,000mg of triple strength and max potency fish oil. A max potency fish oil that hits you fast and hard is ideal for reducing pain inflammation.

Pros

  • High-absorption triglycerides
  • 100% wild caught
  • Pure and potent fish oil
  • Great for joints and brain and heart health

Cons

  • Heavy metal testing says to minimize while others are advertised as totally free of

Price: $27.99

Read our full review of Kaged Muscle Omega-3.


What Are Omega-3 Fatty Acids?

There are three kinds of omega-3 fatty acids to know about when diving into the world of these supplements. The two most important ones are eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), both of which are found in certain kinds of fish. The third is alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), which is found in different plant sources like nuts and seeds. We won’t worry as much about ALA, but know there is a plant-based option for those looking. With both krill oil and fish oil high in EPA and DHA, with booming benefits for your overall health, the choice of which one is better becomes a little more challenging as the differences tend to be more subtle than not (2).

What Are The Benefits Of Omega-3 Supplements?

Omega-3 fatty acids are important and can really work for your benefit when it comes to overall health and wellness. Of course, the healthier you are, the better able you are at tackling any workout that comes your way, who doesn’t want that?

Benefits of omega-3 supplements include:

  • Promote eye health: Work to improve the structural component of your retinas to prevent degeneration.
  • Fight inflammation: Can reduce substances that are linked to and cause inflammation (4).
  • Enhance heart health: Lower blood pressure and slow plaque development in the arteries (5).
  • Increase bone and joint health: Boost calcium in your bones and can reduce joint pain.
cla and carnitine
Image courtesy of Envato

What’s In These Omega-3 Supplements?

The main three ingredients that make up a well-rounded omega-3 are:

  • Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA): Found in cold water fish like herring, mackerel, halibut, among others. Some of the many benefits of EPA include lowering symptoms of depression, reducing your risk of heart disease, easing symptoms of menopause, and slowing the progression of arthritis (6).
  • Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA): Found in fish and other cold water multi-cellular organisms. Benefits of DHA include reducing your risk of heart disease, fighting inflammation and supporting muscle recovery, and working to promote better eye health.
  • Astaxanthin: A natural, red pigmented ketocarotenoid with powerful antioxidant properties. Benefits include reducing exercise fatigue, aiding in heart health, boosting cognitive function, and working as an anti-inflammatory (7).

What Else To Know

When looking to take an omega-3 supplement, somewhere around 3,000-5,000mg is safe, but most people don’t need that high of a dose. Always reading the label is helpful when starting to take these supplements for these honest and transparent companies on our list will disclose important information on the bottle.

testosterone booster ingredients
Image courtesy of Envato

How Much Are These Omega-3’s?

Finding the right omega-3’s for your gains while also being affordable can be challenging. Of course, those more premium options will cost more money so knowing how much it is per serving may help make your decision a little easier. We’ve broken down our list so you can see the overall price and price per serving as you compare amongst our Best Omega-3’s list.

Category Product Price
Best Fish Oil Supplement Overall Nutricost Fish Oil Price: $27.95

Per Serving: $0.11

Best Fish Oil For Bodybuilders Transparent Labs CoreSeries Krill Oil $34.99

Per Serving: $1.16

Best Krill Oil Transparent Labs CoreSeries Krill Oil $34.99

Per Serving: $1.16

Best Vegan Omega-3 Supplement Performance Lab Omega-3 Price: $49.00

Per Serving: $1.63

Best Fish Oil For No Burps Kaged Muscle Omega-3 Fish Oil Price: 29.99

Per Serving: $0.99

Best Omega-3 Without Fish Swolverine Krill Oil Price: 29.99

Per Serving: $0.50

Best Fish Oil For Pain Inflammation Kaged Muscle Omega-3 Fish Oil Price: $29.99

Per Serving: $0.99

What To Consider Before Buying

Before buying your fish oil supplement, there are some important factors to consider so you get the best product possible.

Fish Oil Vs. Krill Oil Vs. Other Sources

There are a number of sources where your omega-3 can come from most notably being fish oil and krill oil. Before buying your omega-3 product, knowing which kind and which source you prefer is important for this can affect your gains.

Absorption Rate

You want to be sure your omega-3 supplement has a high absorption rate so all those omega-3’s hit you faster and more effectively. Looking to each product to see just how bioavailable it is can make all the difference.

Price & Price Per Serving

Supplements can get expensive and knowing how much these products cost and how much you get per serving can be a game changer. You can find a premium product that will work for your gains without breaking the bank.

How We Decide The Best Supplements

When it comes to putting this list of the top omega-3 supplements together, our team looks for a number of factors regarding each individual supplement. To start, we look at the brand. You deserve honest and transparent products and these brands featured here take pride in delivering the best to consumers. For ingredients, it is important they are dosed appropriately, but also contain the right ingredients. Too often do mediocre companies put things in their supplements that just don’t need to be there. Of course, price is important. It can be expensive to take care of yourself and we want to bring you the best without breaking the bank.

strong man
Image courtesy of Envato

FAQ Section

What Is the best fish oil supplement?

Performance Lab Krill Oil. We have tested this supplement ourselves, and we did notice that it was much easier on the body when it came to ingestion, Aside from that, we noticed more mental sharpness, as well as less pain in the joints especially on heavy compound movements like the squat.

Is krill oil or fish oil a better form of omega-3 supplements?

Both have great effects on your body and it is debated as to the pros and cons of both. While the benefits are largely the same, one of the main draws to krill oil is its bioavailability since it attaches to phospholipids allowing for better absorption. It is a personal preference so always do research into both types of supplements and see which is more attractive to you.

Should I take a multivitamin with an omega-3 supplement?

There are great benefits to both a multivitamin and an omega-3 supplement to round out a great supplementation routine to enhance your overall health. Using a pure DHA/EPA supplement is more ideal as to not overload on certain essential nutrients. Always look into both supplements you plan on taking to see what ingredients may overlap and how each will potentially affect your body (3).

Best Fish Oil Wrap Up

Fish oil supplements are incredibly important to consider when thinking of your overall health and wellness. Their powerful properties to aid in immunity, joint health, cognitive and cardiovascular functions, and provide powerful nutrients make these supplements sought after. While fish oil is a popular choice, krill oil is definitely something to consider for the omega 3s and its effects. While science continues to do more and more research into just how great krill oil is, it is arguably more effective than fish oil while providing the same benefits and more. Check out this list above and see what a great omega-3 supplement can do for you today.


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References

  1. Ulven, Stine M.; Holven, Kirsten B. (2015). “Comparison of bioavailability of krill oil versus fish oil and health effect”. (source)
  2. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. “Omega-3 Supplements: In Depth”. (source)
  3. Harvard Health Publishing Harvard Women’s Health Watch (2019). “Should you be taking an omega-3 supplement?”. (source)
  4. Calder, Philip C. (2017). “Omega-3 fatty acids and inflammatory processes: from molecules to man”. (source)
  5. Harvard Men’s Health Watch (2020). “Omega-3 supplements may improve heart health”. (source)
  6. Tsuchiya, Yosuke; Ueda, Hisashi; Yanagimoto, Kenichi; Kato, Ayaka; Ochi, Eisuke (2021). “4-week eicosapentaenoic acid-rich fish oil supplementation partially protects muscular damage following eccentric contractions”. (source)
  7. Ekpe, Lawson; Inaku, Kenneth Ogar; Ekpe, Victor (2018). “Antioxidant effects of astaxanthin in various diseases- a review”. (source)
Austin Letorney
Austin Letorney is a writer, actor, and fitness enthusiast. As a former rower, he has shifted his focus to sharing his knowledge of the fitness world and strength sports with others.