NOW Ultra Omega-3 Fish Oil

Verdict: this is a practical, concentrated fish oil that stands out more for value, EPA and DHA per softgel, and enteric-coated tolerance positioning than for any unique clinical proof. For many shoppers, the main appeal is getting 500 mg EPA and 250 mg DHA in one softgel at a relatively reasonable price.

Best for: adults who want a concentrated fish oil with fewer capsules and a label built around odor control and enteric coating
Skip if: you want a vegan omega-3, avoid bovine gelatin, need a fish-free option, or only buy products with published batch-specific third-party results
Form: enteric-coated softgel with fish oil concentrate
Active dose: 1 softgel provides 1 g fish oil concentrate with 500 mg EPA and 250 mg DHA
Servings: 180 softgels per bottle, with suggested use of 1 softgel 1 to 2 times daily with food
Quality markers: odor controlled, molecularly distilled, GMP Quality Assured, Non-GMO, Halal, and GOED Omega-3 Proud Member listed on the public product page
Price band: value to mid-range based on concentration; public iHerb pricing shows 180 softgels at $35.91 and about $0.18 per serving

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On this pageTable of Contents

Reviewed for Trust

Author: Supplement Explained
Role: Editorial Publisher
Last reviewed: March 27, 2026
Last updated: March 27, 2026
Editorial Policy | How We Review Evidence | Research Process | Disclaimer
Use: Informational only. Not personal medical advice.

Top snapshot

If you are scanning fast, the short version is simple: this product looks strongest when you want a straightforward omega-3 supplement with a meaningful EPA and DHA dose in one softgel, and weaker when you want premium transparency beyond label-level quality signals.

Metric	This Product	Why It Matters
Form	Enteric-coated fish oil softgels	Coating is a real part of the tolerance story.
Active dose	500 mg EPA + 250 mg DHA per softgel	High per-softgel concentration improves value and convenience.
Servings	180	Big bottle size keeps cost per serving low.
Quality marker	GOED member + GMP + molecularly distilled	Useful manufacturing signals without pretending they prove everything.
Price band	Value / mid-range	Strong cost-per-serving for a concentrated fish oil.
Best for	Value-focused concentrated fish oil	Less ideal if you dislike enteric-coated softgels or bovine gelatin.

Label facts snapshot

People who land here are usually asking a few real-world questions: is the EPA and DHA dose strong enough, does the enteric coating help with fishy burps, and is this still a good buy if you only need one softgel a day?

Serving size

What the label actually asks you to take

1 softgel

That is the simple part. The routine is easy, which is one reason this product keeps getting shortlisted.

Real omega-3 dose

How much EPA and DHA you really get

750 mg combined EPA + DHA

The useful number is 500 mg EPA plus 250 mg DHA per softgel, not just the big fish-oil-concentrate number on the label.

Other ingredients

What changes the formula feel

Fish gelatin + lemon oil

The enteric-coated, lemon-flavored setup is there for people who hate fishy repeat. That can help, but it is not magic.

Routine burden

What daily use feels like

Low capsule burden

One softgel is a real convenience win. That matters more than a lot of front-label hype for many buyers.

Why this product exists on the site

People usually land on this product with a very specific question: is NOW Ultra Omega-3 Fish Oil a smart buy, or is it just another fish oil softgel with a lot of marketing around burps and smell?

We include it in our product library because it is a common comparison pick inside the broader omega-3 category. It is a useful case study in how to weigh concentration, capsule design, and price against the bigger issue that matters most with fish oil: the actual EPA and DHA dose you want.

Formula breakdown

The listed serving size is 1 softgel. That serving provides 1 g of fish oil concentrate, including 500 mg EPA and 250 mg DHA, for 750 mg combined EPA and DHA per softgel. Suggested use on the public listing is 1 softgel 1 to 2 times daily with food.

The softgel is described as enteric coated and odor controlled. Other ingredients listed include a bovine gelatin softgel, enteric coating, and d-alpha tocopherol from sunflower. The product contains fish from anchovies and sardines.

If you want help reading a label like this, our guides on how to read a supplement label and the fish oil quality checklist are a good place to start.

Studied dose vs label reality

Searches here are usually things like “best fish oil no burps,” “is 750 mg enough,” or “one softgel fish oil worth it.” The right answer depends more on your target EPA+DHA intake than on the brand name.

Label dose

What one softgel gives you

750 mg EPA + DHA

That is a meaningful one-softgel dose for general omega-3 shopping, which is why the product feels more serious than standard low-potency fish oils.

What people compare

The real dose question

250 to 500 mg+ is the common comparison lane

For general intake questions, many shoppers compare products in that zone. Goal-specific plans can go higher, which is why there is no one perfect fish-oil number for everybody.

Dose verdict

Does the label hold up?

Roughly aligned Strong enough for general fish-oil shopping

The label dose is a real strength here. The bigger question is whether you care enough about the coating story and ingredient fit.

Biggest catch

What shoppers often miss

No one-softgel promise fixes tolerance for everyone

Enteric coating and lemon oil can help some people, but they do not guarantee zero burps, zero reflux, or zero stomach issues.

What looks strong

High EPA and DHA per softgel: 500 mg EPA and 250 mg DHA in one capsule is a solid concentration for a mainstream fish oil.
Lower pill burden: some shoppers can reach their target intake with 1 softgel daily instead of multiple standard-strength capsules.
Tolerance positioning: the enteric-coated, odor-controlled design is clearly aimed at people who dislike fishy aftertaste.
Good value at marketplace pricing: the public iHerb listing makes it look especially competitive on cost per serving.
Clear label signals: the listing includes GMP Quality Assured, molecularly distilled, Non-GMO, Halal, and GOED membership claims.

What looks weak and what the tradeoffs are

The main limit is that the evidence base is mostly about omega-3 intake overall, or EPA and DHA in general, not this exact branded product. So the product can look sensible on paper without having unique published proof of better outcomes than other concentrated fish oils.

The enteric-coated angle is a real tradeoff. It may help some people with fishy burps, but it also adds complexity, and it is not a guarantee of perfect tolerance. If reflux or fishy repeat is your main concern, our page on fish oil and reflux or fishy burps is worth reading before you buy.

Other tradeoffs are straightforward: the capsule uses bovine gelatin, the product is not vegetarian, and the 1-to-2-softgels-daily suggestion means your actual daily EPA and DHA intake can vary a lot depending on how you use it.

Who this product may fit

This product may fit adults who want a concentrated fish oil without taking several standard softgels per day. It also makes sense for shoppers who care about value per softgel and want a familiar brand with clear label claims.

It may be a practical fit if you are looking at omega-3s for general EPA and DHA intake, or if you are exploring the category for goals like cholesterol support or joint support and want a simple starting point. It can also suit people who prefer taking fish oil with meals and want to keep the routine simple; see best time to take omega-3.

Who should skip it

Skip it if you want a vegan or fish-free omega-3, or if you avoid bovine gelatin. It also is not the best fit if you only buy products that publish batch-specific independent test results, because the source notes here do not include that level of transparency.

You should also pause before buying if you have a fish allergy, if fish oil tends to upset your stomach, or if you are using omega-3s as part of a clinician-guided plan around lipids or other medical concerns. Our overview on when to talk to a clinician is a good next read.

Red flags before you hit buy

These are the friction points most likely to make you regret the purchase later, even if the label looked good at first.

Pause if you avoid lanolin or want a pure omega-3-only formula. This SKU also includes vitamin D3, which changes the decision if you already supplement D.
Skip it if fish-free matters. This is not the page to rationalize a fish product if you already know you need algal oil instead.
Do not let the burp-control angle do all the selling. The coating may help, but tolerance is still personal and still worth testing carefully.

Price analysis

On the public iHerb listing, the 180-softgel bottle is $35.91 and the 90-softgel bottle is $18.93, with the page noting about $0.18 per serving. At those prices, NOW Ultra Omega-3 looks like a strong value-to-mid-range option for a concentrated fish oil.

The official NOW Foods product page lists the 180-count bottle at $59.99, which changes the picture. That does not make it a bad product, but it does show why fish oil shoppers should compare actual retailer pricing and cost per useful EPA and DHA, not just the brand or bottle size.

If you are comparing labels, the most useful question is not just “how much does the bottle cost?” but “how much combined EPA and DHA do I get per serving, and do I care enough about enteric coating to pay for it?”

Price per meaningful dose

This product usually wins on convenience and dose per softgel. The fair test is whether that still looks good after you convert it into useful EPA+DHA math.

Per serving

Cost for one softgel

About $0.20

That is a pretty solid everyday number for a one-softgel fish oil with a stronger EPA+DHA count.

Per 500 mg EPA + DHA

Cost per useful omega-3 amount

About $0.13

This is the cleaner comparison number if you are deciding between standard and concentrated fish oils.

What changes the value

What you are really buying

Dose + easy routine

The best part of the value story is not the bottle price. It is that one softgel already gets you a respectable EPA+DHA amount.

Quality verification

The public listing includes several quality-oriented label claims: GMP Quality Assured, molecularly distilled, Non-GMO, Halal, and GOED Omega-3 Proud Member. Those are helpful signals, but they are not the same thing as a published batch-specific certificate of analysis.

That distinction matters. Membership in an industry group and brand-level quality language can be useful, but many careful shoppers still want clearer independent verification. If that is you, read what third-party tested means before deciding how much weight to give these claims.

What this product is really implying

A lot of this product’s appeal comes from one very relatable pitch: fewer fishy burps, fewer capsules, and enough omega-3s to feel worth the trouble. That pitch is partly fair and partly label language.

Marketing angle

What the product is trying to promise

A concentrated, easier-to-live-with fish oil that gives you solid EPA and DHA without the usual fish-oil annoyances.

Evidence reality

What the research actually supports

EPA and DHA intake matters more than the brand story. The evidence does not say this exact coated softgel is a unique solution for burps or broader health outcomes.

Shopping takeaway

What should decide the buy

If you want one-softgel convenience and the ingredient list works for you, this is easy to justify. If you need fish-free, no lanolin, or stronger batch-level transparency, keep comparing.

Use-case fit and evidence context

The evidence context here should stay grounded in omega-3s as ingredients, not this bottle as a uniquely studied formula. Official NIH and NCCIH sources discuss omega-3 supplements mainly in terms of EPA and DHA intake, heart-related research questions, and general safety considerations.

In plain English: this product gives a meaningful amount of EPA and DHA per softgel, which may help if your goal is simply to raise intake without swallowing several capsules. The evidence is stronger for overall omega-3 intake patterns than for this exact brand, and stronger still when dose, food intake, and clinical context are clearly defined.

That is why some readers should think first about goals and labs, not brand. If you are reviewing omega-3s around blood lipids, start with cholesterol labs before fiber or fish oil and our broader omega-3 guide.

Use Case	Evidence	Typical Time Window
General EPA+DHA support	Moderate	Usually framed over weeks to months, not days.
Budget-minded cholesterol routines	Mixed	Often discussed over weeks to months with diet context.
Fishy-burp avoidance	Practical fit	Tolerance differences often show up within the first few doses.
Joint comfort questions	Mixed	Typically framed over weeks, with variable individual response.

What real users often report

Anecdotal only. This block summarizes recurring public discussion themes, not controlled research and not hands-on testing by us.

Recurring positives

Users often describe NOW as a reasonable value brand, and enteric-coated fish oils are often discussed as easier to tolerate than standard softgels. Some posters specifically look for products like this because they want fewer fishy burps.

Recurring negatives

Not everyone avoids burps or stomach irritation just because a product is enteric coated. A few recurring complaints in fish oil discussions generally are capsule size, occasional GI discomfort, and the feeling that “odor controlled” matters less if you already tolerate regular fish oil well.

Overall read

The anecdotal read is that this product is usually considered a practical, sensible buy rather than a premium enthusiast pick. People who care most about price and concentration seem more satisfied than people who want maximum transparency or a fish-free option.

Public threads reviewed: Reddit discussion 1, Reddit discussion 2, Reddit discussion 3

Note: These are summarized recurring themes from public user discussions. They are anecdotal and do not replace clinical evidence or professional guidance.

Better alternatives or compare this instead

If you like the basic idea of this product but want a more premium alternative, the upgrade path is usually not “more marketing,” but a fish oil that offers clearer independent testing documentation or a formulation that better matches your capsule and ingredient preferences.

If you want to avoid fish entirely, compare fish oil with algal oil before buying: fish oil vs algal oil. And if you are not sure you even need a product-level pick yet, the broader omega-3 guide may be more useful than this page because the bigger decision is often your EPA and DHA target, not this specific brand.

Alternatives at a glance

A simple way to compare alternatives is to sort them into three buckets: concentrated fish oils like this one, premium fish oils with stronger testing transparency, and algae-based omega-3s for people who want a non-fish option.

Product	Best For	Main Tradeoff
Nordic Naturals Ultimate Omega	Premium-brand fish oil shoppers	Higher price per serving.
California Gold Nutrition Omega-3 Premium Fish Oil	Lower-cost daily use	Lower EPA+DHA per serving.
Omega-3 Guide	Source-first decisions	Less product-specific if you are still deciding between fish oil and algal oil.

What changed in this update

This page was tightened to make the buy-or-skip decision faster, plainer, and less dependent on brand hype.

The one-softgel value case was made clearer. The page now shows cost in more useful EPA+DHA terms, not just bottle price.
The tolerance pitch was narrowed. The burp-control story now reads as a possible benefit, not a promise.
The added vitamin D3 context was surfaced. That matters if you are already taking vitamin D somewhere else in your stack.

FAQ

Short answers to the questions readers most often ask before taking the next step.

Is NOW Ultra Omega-3 Fish Oil enteric coated?

Yes. The public product listing describes the softgel as enteric coated and odor controlled. That may help some people with fishy aftertaste, but it does not guarantee zero burps for everyone.

How much EPA and DHA are in each softgel?

One softgel is listed as providing 500 mg EPA and 250 mg DHA, for 750 mg combined EPA and DHA.

Is one softgel per day enough?

It depends on your goal. The label suggests 1 softgel 1 to 2 times daily with food, so the intended range is broader than a fixed one-capsule rule. For many buyers, the advantage here is that one softgel already provides a meaningful amount of EPA and DHA.

Does the enteric coating stop fishy burps?

Sometimes, but not always. Enteric coating and odor control are tolerance-focused features, not guarantees. If that issue matters most to you, read can fish oil cause reflux or fishy burps?.

Is this product vegetarian or gelatin-free?

No. The listing says the softgel contains bovine gelatin, and the product also contains fish from anchovies and sardines.

How should I compare its price fairly?

Compare retailer price, cost per serving, and the amount of EPA and DHA per serving. A cheaper bottle is not automatically better if it gives much less EPA and DHA or requires more capsules per day.

When should I talk to a clinician before using fish oil?

If you are using omega-3s around a medical issue, trying to interpret lipid labs, or taking medicines that make you pause before adding supplements, check when to talk to a clinician first.