Microalgae offer a promising sustainable source of essential nutrients, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). DHA and EPA are mainly obtained through fish, which are limited in number due to global climate change. Microalgal oil, on the other hand, has emerged as a sustainable and limitless source of DHA and EPA but the bioavailability of these nutrients has not been directly compared to fish oil. Therefore, the objective of this study is to evaluate and demonstrate the comparable DHA and EPA plasma bioavailability of microalgal and fish oil. We analyzed the plasma phospholipid levels of 74 adult men and women after 6 and 14 weeks of consuming omega-3 supplements derived from either microalgal or fish oil in a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled parallel-group clinical trial. We found that the bioavailability of DHA and EPA in plasma phospholipids from microalgal oil supplements are statistically non-inferior compared to fish oil supplements, despite the differences in production process and composition, indicating that microalgal oil is a reliable and bioavailable source of DHA and EPA.
Bailey et al. (2025) studied this question.