Can Omega-3 Fatty Acids Affect COVID-19 Severity and Survival?

This systematic review pulled together 18 studies examining how omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acid levels related to COVID-19 outcomes. Researchers looked at blood levels of these fats (often measured as the Omega-3 Index) and compared them to infection risk, disease severity, need for mechanical ventilation, hospitalization, and death.

Across the studies, higher omega-3 levels were generally linked to a lower risk of catching COVID-19, with some data suggesting omega-3 supplementation was associated with a 12-21% reduction in infection risk. Low omega-3 levels were repeatedly connected to worse outcomes, including more severe disease, greater likelihood of needing a ventilator, longer hospital stays, and higher death rates in several of the studies reviewed.

However, the picture wasn’t entirely one-sided. A few studies found that in critically ill patients, elevated fatty acid levels detected in lung fluid coincided with the intense inflammatory ‘cytokine storm’ associated with the worst outcomes. The authors note this raises questions about how fatty acid levels behave differently in early infection versus severe, critical illness.