Dosage

The FDA has yet to establish recommendations on the amount of fish oil to take. General recommendations are to take one teaspoon of oil per day. If you prefer capsules, read the directions on the bottle. Typically, users take one capsule, once or twice per day. This dosage usually yields 500-1,000 mg of fish oil.

Omega-3s

Many of the benefits of eating fish and taking fish-oil capsules come from Omega-3 fatty acids: eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Benefits of EPA and DHA have been documented in patients taking 0.5 to 1.8 grams per day.

Types

When choosing a supplement, it is important to determine whether fish oil, krill oil or cod-liver oil will best suit your intended goals. Krill oil doesn't have the "fishy" aftertaste that many report after eating fish oil. Cod-liver oil has greater amounts of vitamins A and D than fish oil. Fish oil is the most readily available of the three.

Triglycerides

If you are trying to lower triglycerides, your recommended value may be significantly higher. Patients can get more specific recommendations from their doctors.

Flaxseed

Flaxseed supplements are a popular alternative to fish oil. Flaxseeds are a good source of AHA, another type of Omega-3 acid. This is a good option to consider for those concerned about overfishing and other environmental impacts. A standard dosage of flaxseed oil is 10g per day.

Source:

Health Boards

Mercola

American Heart Association

Resource:

U.S. National Institute of Health