Evidence supporting the use of: DHA (docosahexaenoic acid)
For the health condition: Circulation (poor)

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Synopsis

Source of validity: Scientific
Rating (out of 5): 2

Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is an omega-3 fatty acid primarily found in fish oil and marine sources. Its role in supporting cardiovascular and circulatory health is backed by some scientific evidence, but the data is stronger for the general class of omega-3 fatty acids (which includes EPA and DHA) than for DHA alone. Research suggests that DHA may help improve endothelial function, decrease blood triglyceride levels, reduce inflammation, and lower blood pressure—factors that can collectively support better circulation. Some studies have shown that supplementation with DHA (often alongside EPA) can modestly improve arterial function and decrease arterial stiffness, potentially benefiting those with poor circulation. However, the majority of clinical trials have investigated mixed omega-3 supplements rather than DHA in isolation, and findings are sometimes inconsistent regarding the magnitude and significance of the benefit.

Current clinical guidelines support the use of omega-3 fatty acids for cardiovascular health, but specific recommendations for DHA in the treatment of poor circulation are limited. While there is a plausible biological mechanism and some supportive evidence, the data is not robust enough to warrant a high confidence rating. Therefore, the evidence rating for DHA’s use in treating or supporting poor circulation is moderate to low (2 out of 5).

In summary, DHA may contribute to improved circulation as part of an overall omega-3 supplementation strategy, but more research is needed to clarify its isolated effects for this specific condition.

More about DHA (docosahexaenoic acid)
More about Circulation (poor)

Other ingredients used for Circulation (poor)

Acetyl L-carnitine
Ajoene
algal oil
alpha-linolenic acid (ALA)
amino acids
anthocyanins
arjun tree
ashwagandha
asparagus
astaxanthin
astragalus
beet
bergamot
berry flavor
bilberry
black cumin
black currant
black garlic
black pepper
sesame
black tea
blueberry
bromelain
bupleurum falcatum
burdock
butcher's broom
caffeine
capsaicinoids
cat's claw
caterpillar mushroom
celery
chen pi
cherry
Chinese salvia root
chokeberry
cinnamon
citrus bioflavonoids
citrus sinensis (proprietary)
clove
coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10)
Coleus forskohlii
cordyceps
turmeric
curcumin
d-alpha tocopherol
DHA (docosahexaenoic acid)
diallyl disulfide (DADS)
diallyl trisulfide (DATS)
dong quai root
eleuthero
EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid)
fish oil
fish protein
flavonols
flaxseed
fruit and vegetable blend (proprietary)
garlic bulb
ginger
ginkgo biloba
ginseng
gooseberry
gotu kola
grape
onion
green tea
greens blend (proprietary)
hawthorn
hesperetin
hesperidin
hibiscus
horse chestnut
horseradish
Indian tinospora
iron
knotweed
kudzu
L-arginine
l-carnitine
L-citrulline
lovage
magnesium
Marine lipid
Moringa
mustard seed
Naringin
Nattokinase
Nettle
Niacin (vitamin B3)
Niacinamide (vitamin B3)
nicotinamide riboside
olive
omega-3 fatty acids
orange
oyster mushroom
pine bark
policosanol
pomegranate
quercetin
reishi mushroom
resveratrol
rhizome
rose hips
rosemary
rutin
safflower oil
shiitake mushroom
black ginger
spinach
tocotrienols
Triphala
ubiquinol
vegetable and fruit blend (proprietary)
vegetable blend (proprietary)
vitamin B
vitamin E
seaweed
Water
Watercress
Watermelon
Mulberry
sarsaparilla
suma
jiaogulan
gastrodia
cardamom
atractylodes
capsicum
Indian bael
inula racemosa
punarnava
commiphora
smilax
blackboard tree
Caesalpinia crista
peony
lingzhi
Szechuan lovage
prickly ash
siler root
cistanche
dioscorea
dodder
ganoderma
Morinda
zanthoxylum
birch
polyphenols
purslane
Yerba mate
biota seed
goji berry
herbal blend (proprietary)
Sichuan pepper
Yohimbe
cocoa
AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK)
enzymes blend (proprietary)
cayenne pepper
ashitaba
2-(nitrooxy)ethyl 2-amino-3-methylbutanoate
3-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)prop-2-enoic acid
Aralia
arjuna
arginine alpha ketoglutarate
antler
Autumn elaeagnus
arginine creatine
Arginine nitrate
Angelica
Aronia melanocarpa
Allicin
Arginine aspartate
Achyranthes
Auricularia
Adrenergic amines
alpha-lipoic acid
astragaloside
anthocyanidins
Asteraceae
arjunic acid
Alliin
anthocyanosides
Allium tuberosum
Arginine silicate
atractylone
bishop\'s weed
Butea monosperma
black galingale
berry
bur-reed
bioflavonoids
bee products
Buddha\'s hand
Buckwheat
Bassia scoparia
Boerhavia diffusa
borneol
coumarin
Centella triterpenes
Chinese silkvine
Cinnamomum
Chinese mountain ant
carqueja
calycosin
capsinoids
Codonopsis
capillary artemisia
cyanidin
Curcuminoid
Citrus
capsaicin
catecholamine
cowherb
curcumen
Centella asiatica
coca
chocolate
Curcuma
chestnut
cinnamaldehyde
costus
Carthamus
cola nut
currant
diallyl sulfide
Diosmin
dismutase
danshen
dong quai
date
diosmetin
dodeca-2E, 4E, 8Z, 10Z/tetraenoic acid isobutylamide
epicatechin
Eupolyphaga sinensis
elk antler
evodiamine
eicosapentaenoic acid
essential oil blend
ephedrine
Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA)
European five-finger grass
Echium
fruit
flavonoids
fo-ti
flat-stem milk-vetch
fatty acids
fungus
flavanones
Fagopyrum
flavoglycosides
flavans
forskolin
flavonones
flavanols
flavones
Ginsenosides
Glycoside
Gypenoside
garlic
ginkgo flavone glycoside
Hygrophila
heal-all
hazelnut
hydroxytyrosol
Herb Robert
Huang hua
inositol nicotinate
Ilex
long pepper
icariin
Indian kinotree
kola nut
lumbrokinase
Ligustrazin
Ligusticum
Monacolin
mandarin
maral root
Mountain Pepper
Mustard
mace
Monounsaturated fat
Mistletoe
Marine fat
Mate
Mushroom
Nutmeg
Oleuropein
Oligomeric proanthocyanidins
Oxystelma
Piperine
Puerarin
Piper chaba
Phenylpropanoids
Phaeophyceae
procyanidol
procyanidin
Pentacyclic triterpenoids
Polydatin
proanthocyanidins
Propionyl-L-Carnitine
polyunsaturated fat
Pepper
Pyrrosia
Phthalides
Piper retrofractum
punicalagins
paeoniflorin
Pycnogenol
Pistachio
Polygonum
Ruscus
rockweed
Ruscogenins
Rutosides
ribose
Rosa roxburghii
Sichuan Lovage
Sete sangrias
Serrapeptase
Southern Tsangshu
Sickle-leaf hare's ear
Salmon Oil
Salidroside
Salvianolic acid
Shogaol
Schisandrins
Spatholobus
saponins
Sumac
Sulfated polysaccharide
Shilajit
S-allylcysteine
Sweet Orange alcohol
Terminalia
Theobromine
Tea
Taxifolin
Troxerutin
Triterpenes
Taxillus chinensis
Tanshinone
Taraxacum
Vinburnine
Vincamine
Withanolides
Wulinshen
Xantinol Nicotinate
Xanthophyll
Xylaria nigripes
Xanthone
Yohimbine
Zucchini
Zingerone

Products containing DHA (docosahexaenoic acid)

Thorne Advanced DHA
Vitabase Brain Support
Vitabase Complete Essential Fatty Acids
Pure Encapsulations DHA Ultimate
Pure Encapsulations DHA Ultimate
Pure Encapsulations EFA Essentials
Pure Encapsulations Energize Plus™ Pure Pack
Pure Encapsulations EPA/DHA
Pure Encapsulations EPA/DHA essentials 1,000 mg
Pure Encapsulations EPA/DHA essentials 1,000 mg
Vitabase EPA / DHA Omega-3
Pure Encapsulations EPA/DHA with Lemon
Pure Encapsulations EPA Ultimate
Klean Athlete Klean Omega ™
Douglas Laboratories Krill Oil
Pure Encapsulations Krill-Plex
Pure Encapsulations Krill-Plex
Metagenics MetaKids DHA
Metagenics MetaKids Nutrition Powder Chocolate
Metagenics MetaKids Nutrition Powder Vanilla
Pure Encapsulations NeuroMood Pure Pack
Pure Encapsulations O.N.E.™ Omega
Pure Encapsulations O.N.E.™ Omega
Thorne Omega-3 w/ CoQ10
Thorne Omega Superb Lemon Berry
Metagenics OmegaGenics Algae EPA-DHA 300 mg
Metagenics OmegaGenics EPA DHA 2400 Fish Oil
Metagenics OmegaGenics EPA-DHA 300 Lemon Lime
Metagenics OmegaGenics Fish Oil EPA-DHA 1000 mg
Metagenics OmegaGenics Fish Oil EPA-DHA 1000 mg
Metagenics OmegaGenics Fish Oil EPA-DHA 500 mg
Metagenics OmegaGenics Fish Oil EPA-DHA 500 mg
Metagenics OmegaGenics Fish Oil EPA-DHA 720 mg
Metagenics OmegaGenics Fish Oil EPA-DHA 720 mg
Metagenics OmegaGenics Fish Oil EPA-DHA 720 mg
Metagenics OmegaGenics Fish Oil Mega 10®
Metagenics OmegaGenics Neuro 1000 mg
Designs For Health OmegAvail™ Hi-Po
Designs For Health OmegAvail™ Hi-Po
Designs For Health OmegAvail™ Hi-Po Liquid
Designs For Health OmegAvail™ Liquid
Designs For Health OmegAvail™ Synergy
Designs For Health OmegAvail™ Synergy
Designs For Health OmegAvail™ TG1000
Designs For Health OmegAvail™ Ultra
Designs For Health OmegAvail™ Ultra
Designs For Health OmegAvail™ Ultra DHA
Designs For Health OmegAvail™ Ultra with Vitamin D3, K1 and K2
Douglas Laboratories Opti-EPA 500 ™ Cholesterol Free
Douglas Laboratories Opti-EPA 500 ™ Cholesterol Free
Metagenics PlusOne® Daily Prenatal Packs
Thorne Prenatal DHA
Pure Encapsulations Pro-Resolve Omega
Thorne Pro-Resolving Mediators
Integrative Therapeutics Pure Omega HP
Integrative Therapeutics Pure Omega Liquid
Integrative Therapeutics Pure Omega Ultra HP
Pure Encapsulations PureNutrients EPA/DHA
Douglas Laboratories QÜELL® FISH OIL DHA Ultra SPM
Douglas Laboratories QUELL Fish Oil ® - EPA/DHA Plus D
Metagenics SPM Active
Thorne Super EPA
Thorne Super EPA NSF
Thorne Super EPA Pro
Vitabase Super Omega-3
Douglas Laboratories Ultra G.L.A. Borage Oil
Douglas Laboratories Ultra G.L.A. Borage Oil
Pure Encapsulations Ultra Pure Pack
Pure Encapsulations VisionPro EPA/DHA/GLA
Pure Encapsulations VisionPro EPA/DHA/GLA
Metagenics Wellness Essentials Active Daily Packs
Metagenics Wellness Essentials Brain Health Daily Packs
Metagenics Wellness Essentials® Daily Packs
Metagenics Wellness Essentials Healthy Balance Daily Packs
Metagenics Wellness Essentials Men's Vitality Daily Packs
Metagenics Wellness Essentials Women's Daily Packs
Metagenics Wellness Essentials Women's Prime Daily Packs
Designs For Health XanthOmega™ Krill Oil