Ethyl Ester Fish Oil vs rTG Fish Oil
How ethyl ester fish oil and rTG fish oil differ in potency, absorption, tolerance, and cost.
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Side by Side
| Ethyl Ester Fish Oil | Re-esterified Triglyceride Fish Oil | |
|---|---|---|
| Absorption | Moderate | High |
| How it is absorbed | Fatty acids esterified to ethanol to allow concentration by distillation. The ethyl ester bond is hydrolyzed more slowly by pancreatic lipase, so absorption depends heavily on taking it with a fat-containing meal. | Concentrated as ethyl esters, then enzymatically converted back to triglycerides. Produced higher plasma EPA+DHA than ethyl esters in a comparative trial (Dyerberg 2010). |
| Typical dose | 1-4 g EPA+DHA daily | 500-2,000 mg EPA+DHA daily |
| Common uses | high-dose triglyceride lowering, concentrated capsules | concentrated dosing with fewer capsules, people who take fish oil without meals |
| Side effects | Similar to triglyceride oil. | Similar to triglyceride oil. |
| Cost | Low | Moderate |
| Also called | EE fish oil, omega-3-acid ethyl esters | rTG, re-esterified triglyceride |
When to Choose Ethyl Ester Fish Oil
Choose ethyl ester fish oil when you need a high concentrated dose and will take it with a fatty meal. Prescription omega-3s (omega-3-acid ethyl esters, icosapent ethyl) use this form. Take with the largest meal of the day.
Ethyl Ester Fish Oil
The form of both prescription products and most budget concentrates. Fine with a fatty meal, poorly absorbed without one.
What to look for: EPA plus DHA per serving rather than per softgel. Take with the largest meal of the day.
Find on iHerb Affiliate linkWhen to Choose Re-esterified Triglyceride Fish Oil
Choose rTG fish oil when you want a concentrated dose without depending on a fatty meal for absorption. Combines high concentration with the triglyceride structure.
Re-esterified Triglyceride Fish Oil
Concentrated and well absorbed. The practical choice when you need 1-2 g of EPA plus DHA in two or three softgels.
What to look for: At least 600 mg EPA plus DHA per softgel, a published TOTOX or IFOS certificate, and an expiration date.
Find on iHerb Affiliate linkProducts on Titrate
The Fish Oil and Omega-3 category in Titrate's index holds 7,169 labels from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database, 3,579 of them currently on market, out of 214,745 labels indexed in total. The search page ships the 6,000 most detailed of these.
Supplement Search loads one category at a time. Choose the Fish Oil and Omega-3 tab, then type a form such as "triglyceride" under Must contain, or a form to avoid under Must not contain.
Related
References
NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Fact Sheet for Health Professionals.
Harris WS, von Schacky C. The Omega-3 Index: a new risk factor for death from coronary heart disease? Prev Med. 2004;39(1):212-220.
Dyerberg J, et al. Bioavailability of marine n-3 fatty acid formulations. Prostaglandins Leukot Essent Fatty Acids. 2010;83(3):137-141.
Neubronner J, et al. Enhanced increase of omega-3 index in response to long-term n-3 fatty acid supplementation from triacylglycerides versus ethyl esters. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2011;65(2):247-254.
Albert BB, et al. Fish oil supplements in New Zealand are highly oxidised and do not meet label content of n-3 PUFA. Sci Rep. 2015;5:7928.
Bhatt DL, et al. Cardiovascular Risk Reduction with Icosapent Ethyl for Hypertriglyceridemia. N Engl J Med. 2019;380(1):11-22.
Manson JE, et al. Marine n-3 Fatty Acids and Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease and Cancer. N Engl J Med. 2019;380(1):23-32.
Nicholls SJ, et al. Effect of High-Dose Omega-3 Fatty Acids vs Corn Oil on Major Adverse Cardiovascular Events in Patients at High Cardiovascular Risk: The STRENGTH Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA. 2020;324(22):2268-2280.
Gencer B, et al. Effect of Long-Term Marine omega-3 Fatty Acids Supplementation on the Risk of Atrial Fibrillation in Randomized Controlled Trials of Cardiovascular Outcomes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Circulation. 2021;144(25):1981-1990.