Table 4.

Comparison of bioavailability of EPA and DHA given in different chemical forms and for different durations.

Chemical Form	Baseline Level EPA + DHA (%)	∆EPA + DHA (%)	EPA + DHA (mg/Day)	∆EPA + DHA (%) /100 mg EPA + DHA	Duration	n	Reference
EE	3.30 *	0.87	3320	0.03	2 weeks	9	[23]
	4.18 ± 0.54	1.54	Approximately 250	0.62	8 weeks	22	triOMEG-trial
	5.1 *	3.5	3320	0.11	8 weeks	24	[24]
	4.46 ± 1.13	2.03	907	0.22	8 weeks	26	[25]
	4.46 ± 1.13	4.33	3630	0.12	8 weeks	26
	6.50 ± 1.46	3.80	3084	0.12	8 weeks	40	[26]
	3.50 *	3.20	2500	0.13	60 days	44	[27]
	4.6 ± 1.5	3.00	1680	0.18	10 weeks	62	[28]
	7.9 ± 3.7	3.4	2520	0.13	12 weeks	11	[29]
	8.27 ± 0.77	2.51	1740	0.14	12 weeks	12	[30]
	3.91 ± 0.30	0.20	440	0.05	12 weeks	15	[31]
	3.54 ± 0.26	1.69	1300	0.13	12 weeks	18
	3.81 ± 0.23	2.94	2700	0.11	12 weeks	16
	4.13 *	3.69	720	0.51	16 weeks	43	[32]
	3.7 *	5.4	3360	0.16	16 weeks	30	[33]
	3.74 *	7.24	3360	0.22	16 weeks	122	[34]
	#	4.84	1680	0.29	6 months	39	[35]
	7.6 ± 1.8	4.83	1680	0.29	6 months	39
	7.4 ± 1.76	4.82	1680	0.29	6 months	45	[36]
FO	5.2 ± 1.7	4.0	4400	0.09	4 weeks	40	[37]
	4.92 *	2.8	1200	0.23	8 weeks	20	[38]
	6.77 *	6.3	3600	0.18	8 weeks	20
	4.04 *	4.14	3360	0.12	8 weeks	21	[39]
	4.35 *	3.58	3360	0.11	8 weeks	21
	4.6 ± 1.6	2.9	1680	0.17	10 weeks	36	[40]
	5.74 ± 1.37	5.17	2700	0.19	12 weeks	12	[41]
	9.16 ± 1.74	5.08	2520	0.20	12 weeks	7	[42]
	5.24 ± 0.7	5.46	2700	0.20	12 weeks	10	[43]
	4.90 ± 1.8	4.94	2700	0.18	12 weeks	10
	5.32 ± 0.74	5.45	2700	0.20	12 weeks	9	[44]
	4.87 ± 1.83	5.05	2700	0.19	12 weeks	7
	4.33 *	1.83	485	0.38	16 weeks	12	[45]
	4.7 ± 0.9	3.2	500	0.64	5 months	22	[46]
	4.29 ± 0.22	1.90	300	0.63	5 months	23	[47]
	4.28 ± 0.23	2.54	600	0.42	5 months	21
	4.31 ± 0.22	3.22	900	0.36	5 months	24
	4.28 ± 0.22	5.21	1800	0.29	5 months	24
	5.5 *	4.46	3360	0.13	6 months	180	[48]
	4.7 ± 1.1	4.3	1000	0.43	6 months	20	[49]
	3.74 ± 2.02	8.39	2520	0.33	6 months	25	[50]
KO	3.66 ± 0.90	0.31	100	0.31	12 weeks	53	[51]
	3.56 ± 0.82	0.63	200	0.32	12 weeks	53
	4.00 ± 0.88	1.17	400	0.29	12 weeks	51
	3.65 ± 0.70	2.65	800	0.33	12 weeks	58
MO	6.5 *	3.7	1600	0.23	16 weeks	160	[52]
TG	4.37 ± 0.51	2.43	500	0.49	8 weeks	40	[11]
rTG	5.24 *	5.45	2700	0.20	12 weeks	10	[53]
	4.87 *	5.22	2700	0.19	12 weeks	10
	7.11 ± 1.91	6.20	1680	0.37	6 months	34	[54]
	7.0 ± 1.9	6.25	1680	0.37	6 months	41	[36]
LEM	3.15 *	0.95	657	0.14	2 weeks	10	[23]
	3.34 *	1.22	1314	0.09	2 weeks	8
	3.14 *	2.18	2628	0.08	2 weeks	10
AG	6.80 ± 1.93	4.30	2697	0.16	8 weeks	39	[26]
Fish	4.02 *	2.15	485	0.44	16 weeks	11	[45]

In all trials listed, samples were analysed with the method used in the present trial (see Methods). Abbreviations: EE = ethyl-ester, FO = fish oil, KO = krill oil, MO = microalgae oil, TG = triacylglycerides, rTG = re-esterfied triacylglycerides, LEM = liquid emulsion formulation, AG = acylglycerol; * no SD available; # no baseline EPA + DHA level available.