Omega 3 and inflammation in rugby
Answer
No authorised inflammation claim exists for omega 3 at any dose. It is one of the most marketed claims in the category and one of the least supported by the register.
Key takeaways
- Is there an inflammation claim?
- No. None exists for omega 3 at any dose in the UK or the EU.
- Why is it marketed that way?
- Because inflammation is a plausible sounding mechanism and the claim is made without regulatory backing.
- What does carry a claim?
- That EPA and DHA contribute to the normal function of the heart, at 250mg combined a day.
The claim does not exist
Reduced inflammation is among the most common things omega 3 is sold on, and there is no authorised claim for it at any dose.
It is also the wording most likely to attract regulatory attention, because reducing inflammation edges towards a medicinal claim rather than a nutritional one. A food supplement making it is outside what the rules allow, however plausible the mechanism sounds.
What is actually authorised
One claim realistically applies to a standard strength fish oil: EPA and DHA contribute to the normal function of the heart, with the effect obtained at 250mg of combined EPA and DHA a day.
Futuro Labs Omega 3 Fish Oil provides 180mg EPA and 120mg DHA per mini softgel, which is 300mg combined at one capsule for 17p a day. That is what it is sold on here. Soreness after a match, joint discomfort in March and swelling after a knock are not supplement questions, and anything that is not settling belongs with a physiotherapist.
The full version
- Omega 3 for rugby playersWhat is authorised, what is not, and why this site will not sell into joints.
- Omega 3 and muscle soreness in rugbyThe related question, and what soreness after a match actually is.
The product
Futuro Labs Omega 3 Fish Oil
Futuro Labs Omega 3 Fish Oil is the 180mg EPA and 120mg DHA one at 17p a day. It clears the 250mg threshold for the authorised heart claim and closes an oily fish gap. No inflammation claim exists and none is made here.
- 300mg combined EPA and DHA per softgel
- Batch tested to ISO 17025 standards
- Deodorised mini softgel, one a day
- Bovine gelatin shell, not vegetarian
Sharper Rugby is published by Futuro Labs. If you buy through this link Futuro Labs earns from the sale. Prices are set by Amazon.
Questions players ask
Does omega 3 reduce inflammation?
No authorised claim exists for it at any dose.
Why is it sold on inflammation then?
Because the mechanism sounds plausible. The claim has not been assessed and accepted.
What does it actually claim?
That EPA and DHA contribute to the normal function of the heart at 250mg combined a day.
Is it a medicinal claim?
Reducing inflammation edges towards one, which is part of why a food supplement cannot make it.