What Is DPA in Fish Oil? What You Should Know

In the omega-3 fatty acid world, there are plenty of types and acronyms that come to the family party. We’ve got EPA and DHA, the two omegas that usually take center stage in dietary supplements. But there’s also DPA, the often-overlooked sibling in the omega-3 family.Like a team of superheroes, each of these essential fatty acids brings unique strengths to the table. And as more research is starting to uncover, DPA packs a punch, with noted benefits for heart health, brain health and more.So what exactly is DPA in fish oil, and why do we need it in our diet? Let’s take a closer look.What Is DPA?DPA (short for docosapentaenoic acid) is a lesser known, but still important omega-3 fatty acid. To better understand what DPA is, you first need some context. Let’s start by going back in time about 50 years.In the late 1960s, doctors believed that consuming fat – any kind of fat! – caused heart disease. But two researchers from Denmark observed that this idea didn’t hold up in all cases. The...