Omega-3 (fish oil, krill oil, algal oil) and depression
What 2 graded rows on omega-3 (fish oil, krill oil, algal oil) agree on for depression, and where they differ. Counted side by side, never averaged.
Consensus finder Rows from the Omega-3 (fish oil, krill oil, algal oil) page, reviewed Oct 21, 2026 How it decides
What the rows agree on
Each block and row is one graded row from the Omega-3 (fish oil, krill oil, algal oil) page, with its PubMed record.
Your question
Omega-3 (fish oil, krill oil, algal oil) and depression
2 rows · 19,779 peopleInconsistent: both rows reported mixed results.
- BGrade B× 1
- CGrade C× 1
- Rows
- 2
- Trials
- 11
- People
- 19,779
- Pooled reviews may count some twice
What the rows share
From the rowsThe best-graded row, grade B, is a randomized trial of 18,353 people (2021) and reported mixed results.
Each row reported mixed results on its own, so there is no side to compare. The rows enrolled 1,426 to 18,353 people and were published from 2021 to 2023.
The rows
2 mixed- BGrade BRisk of depression and mood scores at 1 g/day (VITAL-DEP) · Mixed
RCT · n 18,353 · 2021 · US adults aged 50 or older without clinically relevant depression at baseline
1 g/day fish oil · Median 5.3 years
Depression or clinically relevant symptoms were slightly more common with omega-3 (HR 1.13, 95% CI 1.01–1.26); mood scores did not differ (PHQ-8 difference 0.03 points).
Row on the Omega-3 (fish oil, krill oil, algal oil) page · PubMed 34932079 (opens PubMed)
- CGrade CDepressive symptoms in adults · Mixed
Meta-analysis, 10 studies · n 1,426 · 2023 · 10 randomized trials in adults
EPA from under 1 g to over 2 g/day · Varied by trial
Depression severity fell with EPA-rich products (EPA at least 60% of EPA + DHA; SMD −0.36) and with 1 to under 2 g/day EPA (SMD −0.43), but not with 2 g/day or more (SMD −0.20, not significant).
Row on the Omega-3 (fish oil, krill oil, algal oil) page · PubMed 37028202 (opens PubMed)