Omega-3 is one of the few supplement categories where the label arithmetic is genuinely confusing, and where parents are most often sold a smaller dose than they think they are buying. This piece is the arithmetic.
Three omega-3s, not one
Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) is the plant omega-3, found in flaxseed, chia and walnuts. Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) are the marine omega-3s, found in oily fish and in algae. The body can convert ALA into EPA and DHA, but the conversion is poor — typically a few percent to EPA and well under one percent to DHA. That is why a diet rich in flaxseed does not reliably raise DHA, and why supplements are formulated with the marine forms directly.
DHA is a structural fat: it is concentrated in the membranes of brain and retinal cells, and it is the omega-3 with the clearest role in children. Regulators in Europe have authorised the claim that DHA contributes to the maintenance of normal brain function and normal vision, at an intake of 250 mg a day, and that DHA contributes to the normal visual development of infants up to twelve months. These are carefully worded nutrient-function claims, not promises about intelligence or school performance — and any product that makes those is overreaching.
Reading the number that matters
A capsule labelled 'Fish oil 1000 mg' typically contains about 300 mg of actual EPA and DHA combined; the rest is other fats. A syrup labelled 'Omega-3' may contain anything. The only figure to compare across products is EPA and DHA in milligrams per dose, and the dose has to be the one a child will actually take. A syrup that lists 400 mg EPA and 300 mg DHA per 5 ml delivers 700 mg of the marine omega-3s in a teaspoon; most children's omega-3 syrups deliver 50 to 100 mg of DHA per dose. Both can be perfectly good products, but they are not the same product, and the front label will not tell you which one you are holding.
| Label says | What to look for on the back |
|---|---|
| Fish oil 1000 mg | EPA + DHA per capsule, usually 300 mg or so |
| Omega-3 syrup | EPA and DHA per 5 ml or per 10 ml — and which one the dosing instruction uses |
| Flaxseed oil / ALA | Contains no EPA or DHA unless separately added |
| Algal DHA (vegetarian) | DHA per dose; EPA is usually low or absent |
How much is enough
The European Food Safety Authority considers 250 mg of EPA plus DHA a day an adequate intake for adults, and applies the same figure to children from two to eighteen. Indian dietary guidance from ICMR-NIN sets omega-3 as a share of total fat intake rather than a milligram figure, and recognises that typical Indian diets are low in the marine forms. Neither is a maximum, and neither is a target for a child who eats oily fish twice a week — that child is likely already there. For a vegetarian child, or one who will not eat fish, a supplement is the practical route.
Freshness, storage, and the fishy-burp test
EPA and DHA are highly unsaturated, which means they oxidise readily when exposed to heat, light and air. Oxidised oil smells and tastes fishy and has lost some of its value. Keep syrups closed, out of sunlight and below 25°C, finish an opened bottle within the period stated on the label, and treat a strong fishy smell as a sign to discard it. A good syrup at the recommended dose should not cause fishy reflux; if it does, the oil, not the child, is the problem.
Omega-3 works structurally, over months. It is not something you will notice in a fortnight. Choose a product by the EPA and DHA numbers, give it consistently, and let the paediatrician set the dose for a child's age and weight.
Sources
- 1.EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies. Scientific Opinion on Dietary Reference Values for fats, including omega-3 fatty acids. EFSA Journal, 2010
- 2.Commission Regulation (EU) No 432/2012 — authorised health claims for DHA (brain function, vision, infant visual development)
- 3.Nutrient Requirements for Indians, ICMR-NIN, 2020 — fat and essential fatty acid recommendations
General nutrition information, not medical advice. Nutraceuticals are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Speak to your doctor before starting a supplement if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, on medication or managing a condition.