A 2026 report tried to put a price tag on omega-3s and heart health across Europe and the UK; here is what it found and how to read it.

By AquaOmega · 5 min read

What did the new omega-3 report look at?

Most research on omega-3 and heart health asks a single question: what happens to people's risk? A 2026 report by the research firm Frost & Sullivan asked a second one too: what might that mean for the cost of healthcare? Naturopathic doctor Dr. Paul Hrkal, ND, walked through the report in a recent video, and his summary is the basis for this explainer.

The report covered the European Union and the UK. It looked at three natural substances aimed at cardiovascular risk markers such as cholesterol and triglycerides: omega-3s, phytosterols and beta-glucans. This article focuses on the omega-3 part.

The starting point is the size of the problem. Using 2025 figures, the report put the cost of cardiovascular disease in the EU and UK at $307 billion. That figure goes well beyond hospital bills. It includes:

• Unpaid care provided by families
• Rehabilitation
• Healthcare resources
• Lost productivity from illness and early death

Who was the report about, and why triglycerides?

The report did not model the whole population. It focused on 34 million adults in Europe who were over 55 and had elevated triglycerides.

What are triglycerides?

Triglycerides are part of the fat family and show up as one of the markers on a lipid panel, the blood test that checks your blood fats. As Dr. Hrkal explains, triglycerides tend to rise along with cardiovascular risk. They are related to insulin resistance, they are connected to what people eat, and elevated levels are associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular disease.

Research shows that EPA and DHA, the two main omega-3s, can lower triglycerides. The report's question was what that might mean for heart events, and for budgets.

What does research say about omega-3 and heart health?

The report modelled what would happen if this group took 1,000 milligrams (1 gram) a day of EPA and DHA combined. To estimate the effect, it assumed a 5% reduction in the relative risk of a major adverse cardiovascular event, often shortened to MACE, a term that covers serious events such as heart attacks.

That 5% figure comes from a meta-regression analysis, a study that pools many trials and checks how results change with dose. It covered 15 trials and almost 150,000 people, with doses from 400 milligrams to 4 grams a day, and found a 5% lower relative risk of major cardiovascular events at 1 gram a day.

Across the trials, Dr. Hrkal notes, omega-3 supplementation was linked to lower risk of cardiovascular events, heart attacks, coronary heart disease, fatal heart attacks and cardiovascular deaths. He also points to a 2021 study in Mayo Clinic Proceedings that reported a 35% lower risk of fatal heart attack, 10% for coronary heart disease, 9% for coronary heart disease deaths and 5% for cardiovascular risk.

What does 'relative risk' mean?

A relative risk reduction describes how much the chance of an event drops compared with where it started. Dr. Hrkal is clear that changing a risk factor does not guarantee fewer heart attacks for any one person; the finding describes risk across a group.

Are most people low in omega-3?

According to Dr. Hrkal, yes. He cites research showing that about 80% of people worldwide have the lowest omega-3 levels, below 4% omega-3 in their red blood cells. This is measured with a blood sample that shows what percentage of the red blood cells' content is omega-3.

Lower percentages have been linked to a higher risk of a range of health problems, potentially including problems with memory and thinking such as dementia, as well as coronary heart disease and serious heart events.

Does a higher omega-3 dose do more?

The research suggests a dose-response pattern, meaning results tended to grow with the dose. At 1 gram a day, the relative risk reduction for cardiovascular disease events was 5.8%. At 2 grams, it rose to 11% for cardiovascular disease events and 17% for heart attacks. At 3 and 4 grams, the percentages kept rising. Each additional gram of EPA and DHA was linked to about a 9% lower relative risk of heart attack.

Dr. Hrkal adds an important caution: this does not mean more is always better, or that the benefit keeps climbing without limit. It suggests there could be better results at higher intakes for these two outcomes, within the range studied.

Could omega-3s lower healthcare costs?

This is where the report breaks new ground. It estimated that giving the 34 million eligible adults 1 gram a day of EPA and DHA would cost $4.1 billion in supplements and produce $36.6 billion in overall savings. That leaves an estimated net benefit to society of over $32 billion for 2025, along with an estimated 140,000 avoided events a year.

What if only some people took part?

Real life rarely gets 100% uptake, and the report allowed for that. If only 30% of the eligible group took omega-3s, it estimated $9.7 billion in societal benefit, for 30% of the $4.1 billion cost. As Dr. Hrkal puts it, the benefit still outweighs the cost by far.

Higher doses and the next 10 years

The report also modelled higher doses. At 2 grams a day, it estimated 1.1 million avoidable major cardiovascular events per year, with the number rising again at 3 grams. Projected out to 2035, it showed even bigger gross healthcare savings.

For Dr. Hrkal, the report offers a rare zoomed-out view. As a clinician, his focus is on helping individual patients get better. Looking at the same research from a government's perspective, he sees a case for economic benefit on top of the health one.

Frequently asked questions

Who published the report?

Frost & Sullivan. It was published in 2026 and uses 2025 data for the EU and UK.

What dose did the main estimate use?

1 gram a day of EPA and DHA combined, for adults over 55 with elevated triglycerides.

Does a lower risk mean someone won't have a heart attack?

No. A relative risk reduction describes a shift in the odds across a group. As Dr. Hrkal notes, changing a risk factor does not guarantee fewer heart attacks.

How can I find out my omega-3 level?

Omega-3 levels can be measured with a blood test that shows the percentage of omega-3 in your red blood cells. A healthcare practitioner can talk you through it.

Key takeaways

• A 2026 Frost & Sullivan report put the 2025 cost of cardiovascular disease in the EU and UK at $307 billion.
• It modelled 1 gram a day of EPA and DHA for 34 million adults over 55 with elevated triglycerides.
• Trials pooled in a meta-regression linked 1 gram a day to a 5% lower relative risk of major heart events, with larger reductions at higher doses.
• About 80% of people worldwide have low omega-3 blood levels, according to research Dr. Hrkal cites.
• The report estimated a net societal benefit of over $32 billion, and benefits still outweighed costs at 30% uptake.

Learn more: AquaOmega