The Claim

In adults with abdominal obesity and low-grade inflammation, daily supplementation with 2.7 grams of DHA for 10 weeks increases LDL cholesterol by 6.9%, while EPA supplementation increases LDL cholesterol by 2.2%, and the increase in LDL cholesterol from DHA is significantly greater in men than in women.

Source: A randomized, crossover, head-to-head comparison of eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid supplementation to reduce inflammation markers in men and women: the Comparing EPA to DHA (ComparED) Study.

What the research says

Supports is higher

Support is ahead, but a single strong opposing study can change this.

Supports
84score
Challenges
0score

These are independent scores, not a percentage. Higher-grade studies count more, so a single strong opposing study can outweigh several weaker ones.

Cause and effect
1 study reviewed
In plain English

In adults with abdominal obesity and low-grade inflammation, taking 2.7 grams of DHA daily for 10 weeks raises LDL cholesterol by 6.9%, while EPA raises it by 2.2%, and the rise from DHA is larger in men than in women.

See the scientific wording

In adults with abdominal obesity and low-grade inflammation, 10 weeks of daily 2.7-gram DHA supplementation increases LDL cholesterol by 6.9%, while EPA increases it by only 2.2%, and this effect is significantly greater in men than in women, indicating a sex-specific lipid response to DHA.

Why this might work

DHA changes how the liver makes and clears fat-carrying particles, causing it to produce more large LDL particles that stay in the blood longer, which raises LDL cholesterol levels more than EPA does.

Verified mechanismbased on 1 study

What the research says

1 study

  1. Study: A randomized, crossover, head-to-head comparison of eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid supplementation to reduce inflammation markers in men and women: the Comparing EPA to DHA (ComparED) Study.

    In people with belly fat and inflammation, taking 2.7 grams of DHA daily for 10 weeks raised bad cholesterol more than taking the same amount of EPA, and this rise was much bigger in men than in women — just like the claim says.

Score breakdown, mechanism chain, raw evidence, ideal studies needed & 1 supporting studies

Fit Body Science verdict — we translate health claims into clear verdicts backed by peer-reviewed research.

Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.