Sports Research Omega-3 review: one small softgel with 950 mg of EPA and DHA

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Never fishy. That's a bold promise for a fish oil, and it's the first thing Sports Research puts on its listing. Anyone who has burped up a mouthful of last night's salmon after a cheap omega-3 knows why it matters.

Sports Research Omega-3 is the best-selling fish oil on Amazon, and after reading through the label I can see why. It's concentrated, it's one a day, and the sourcing is well documented.

The numbers that matter

With fish oil, the headline milligrams can be misleading. What you care about is EPA and DHA, the two omega-3s that most of the research focuses on.

Each softgel here has 1,250 mg of fish oil, which provides at least 1,040 mg of total omega-3s. Of that, 690 mg is EPA and 260 mg is DHA. So you get 950 mg of EPA plus DHA in a single softgel.

That's a lot for one capsule. Plenty of budget brands need two or three to get there. The company calls it triple strength, and the math backs it up.

Triglyceride form

Sports Research uses the triglyceride form of omega-3, which is the form found naturally in fish. The company calls it the preferred form, and many people go looking for it specifically. It's a nice detail to see on a mainstream bottle.

Where the oil comes from

The oil is from wild-caught Alaska pollock, harvested in the Bering Sea. I like the paper trail on this one:

• Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certified sustainable

• IFOS 5-star rated, an independent check on purity and freshness

• third-party tested for heavy metals, oxidation and potency

The company also runs the oil through what it describes as a 10-step molecular distillation and purification process. That, plus the freshness checks, is how it backs up the no-fishy-aftertaste claim.

It's made in the USA in a cGMP-compliant facility, non-GMO tested, gluten-free and hexane-free.

What it's for

Sports Research points to the large body of research on EPA and DHA for cardiovascular health, joint support and eye health. Those are the three reasons most people take fish oil, and this covers all of them in a single daily softgel.

If you don't eat oily fish twice a week (most of us don't), a supplement like this is an easy way to fill the gap. I think of it as insurance for the weeks when dinner is more pasta than salmon.

It also suits people who train hard. The brand name is a hint, and a lot of lifters and runners keep a bottle of Sports Research Omega-3 next to their protein and creatine. Joints that get a workout every day are a common reason people stick with it.

Taking it

One softgel a day, with food. That's the whole routine. Having it with your biggest meal helps absorption and makes any aftertaste even less likely.

A bottle of 90 softgels lasts three months. That's a refreshingly long stretch between orders.

The softgel shell is made from tilapia gelatin, so it's pescatarian-friendly. It isn't vegan, and it does contain fish. The only other ingredient is tocopherols, a form of vitamin E that helps keep the oil fresh. Storing the bottle somewhere cool and out of the sun helps with that too.

A friendly heads-up

Omega-3s can have a mild blood-thinning effect, so if you take warfarin, a daily aspirin or another blood thinner, or you have surgery coming up, check with your doctor first. Skip it if you're allergic to fish. If you're pregnant, your doctor can help you choose the right omega-3 amount.

For a single softgel that covers your omega-3s with clean sourcing and no fishy burps, Sports Research Omega-3 is about as easy as it gets. It's a small daily habit that's simple to keep.

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