Written from the studies on PubMed, searched on 2026. nov. 11.. Every number below comes from a study listed under Sources.
The claim
Posts online say that omega-3 fatty acids (fish oil) helps with asthma.
Where research stands
We found 119 published papers on omega-3 fatty acids (fish oil) and asthma. They were published between 1980 and 2026. 29 of them are studies in people. 23 of them compared people who got it with a group that did not. 17 were studies in animals, and 1 was only in cells in the lab. 31 papers are reviews that sum up other studies. 1 paper was retracted. 3 new studies in people are running or will start soon, says the trial register ClinicalTrials.gov.
- 29In people23 with a comparison group
- 17In animals
- 1Only in the lab
What the studies found
We have not summed up these studies in words yet. The most important papers are listed under Sources.
Verdict
Omega-3 fatty acids (fish oil) has been tested in randomised trials in people with asthma.
What this means for you: A study in people is not proof that it helps you. Do not stop or change your medicines because of it. Ask your doctor before you start taking it.
Sources
- Atopic and non-atopic effects of fish oil supplementation during pregnancy.2023 · Thorax · Randomised trial
- Fish Oil and Vitamin D Supplementations in Pregnancy Protect Against Childhood Croup.2023 · J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract · Randomised trial
- Fish Oil Supplementation in Overweight/Obese Patients with Uncontrolled Asthma. A Randomized Trial.2019 · Ann Am Thorac Soc · Randomised trial
- Childhood fish oil supplementation modifies associations between traffic related air pollution and allergic sensitisation.2018 · Environ Health · Randomised trial
- Fish oil supplementation during pregnancy and allergic respiratory disease in the adult offspring.2017 · J Allergy Clin Immunol · Randomised trial
- Fish Oil-Derived Fatty Acids in Pregnancy and Wheeze and Asthma in Offspring.2016 · N Engl J Med · Randomised trial
- Vitamin D and omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid supplementation in athletes with exercise-induced bronchoconstriction: a pilot study.2015 · Expert Rev Respir Med · Randomised trial
- The effect of omega-3 fatty acids on bronchial hyperresponsiveness, sputum eosinophilia, and mast cell mediators in asthma.2015 · Chest · Randomised trial
- Randomized controlled trial of fish oil supplementation in pregnancy on childhood allergies.2013 · Allergy · Study in people
- Lipid mediator serum profiles in asthmatics significantly shift following dietary supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids.2013 · Mol Nutr Food Res · Study in people
- Early-life high-dose omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid supplementation reduces risk of childhood asthma/wheezing: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.2026 · Asia Pac J Clin Nutr · Review
- Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids in Childhood Asthma: Mechanistic Insights and Clinical Perspectives.2026 · Nutr Rev · Review
- A dose-response meta-analysis of the association between the maternal omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids supplement and risk of asthma/wheeze in offspring.2022 · BMC Pediatr · Review
- Influence of Maternal Fish Oil Supplementation on the Risk of Asthma or Wheeze in Children: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.2022 · Front Pediatr · Review
- Effects of supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids during pregnancy on asthma or wheeze of children: a systematic review and meta-analysis.2020 · J Matern Fetal Neonatal Med · Review
- How does high DHA fish oil affect health? A systematic review of evidence.2019 · Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr · Review
- Maternal 12-HETE is associated with childhood asthma and the responses to prenatal omega-3 supplementation.2026 · Cell Rep Med · In animals
- Lipid mediators obtained from docosahexaenoic acid by soybean lipoxygenase alleviate ovalbumin‑induced allergic asthma in mice by reducing airway inflammation and oxidative stress.2025 · Mol Med Rep · In animals
- Pharmacological evaluation of the effects of enzymatically liberated fish oil on eosinophilic inflammation in animal models.2023 · Biotechnol Appl Biochem · In animals
- Dietary long-chain omega 3 fatty acids modify sphingolipid metabolism to facilitate airway hyperreactivity.2022 · Sci Rep · In animals
- Assessing the Anti-Inflammatory Effects of an Orally Dosed Enzymatically Liberated Fish Oil in a House Dust Model of Allergic Asthma.2022 · Biomedicines · In animals
- Leukotriene B4 limits the effectiveness of fish oil in an animal model of asthma.2021 · Heliyon · In animals
- Eicosapentaenoic acid is more effective than docosahexaenoic acid in inhibiting proinflammatory mediator production and transcription from LPS-induced human asthmatic alveolar macrophage cells.2009 · Clin Nutr · In the lab
- Omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin C and Zn supplementation in asthmatic children: a randomized self-controlled study.2009 · Acta Paediatr · RetractedRetracted
- Omega-3 fatty acid intake potentiates bronchodilator response in patients with obesity and poorly controlled asthma.2025 · Respir Med · Other paper
- Fish oil and vitamin D in pregnancy for the prevention of early childhood asthma: study protocol for two double-blinded, randomised controlled trials.2024 · BMJ Open · Other paper
- Participants' Experience from a Clinical Trial on Fish Oil Supplementation during Pregnancy in a Mother-Child Cohort.2023 · NEJM Evid · Other paper
- Omega-3 Fatty Acids Interact with DPP10 Region Genotype in Association with Childhood Atopy.2023 · Nutrients · Other paper
