NOW DHA-500 Molecularly Distilled Enteric Coated Fish Oil (180 Softgels)

NOW® DHA-500 is a high-potency, pure fish oil softgel that gives your body 500 mg of Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA) and 250 mg of Eicosapentaenoic Acid (EPA) in each single capsule. This concentrated formula gives your brain, eyes, and heart the essential omega-3 building blocks they need every day to stay healthy, sharp, and strong. With a special acid-resistant enteric coating, each softgel moves smoothly past your stomach to dissolve in your intestines, giving you maximum absorption with zero fish burps and no upset stomach.

Quick Specs Snapshot

• Active Form & Potency: 500 mg DHA and 250 mg EPA as purified ethyl esters per softgel (from 1,000 mg molecularly distilled fish oil concentrate).
• Primary Cellular Target: Brain cell membranes, eye retinal cells, and cardiovascular blood vessel walls.
• Supply & Value Math: 180 softgels deliver a full 6-month daily supply (1 softgel per day), giving you premium concentrated omega-3 nutrition for just pennies a day.
• Formulation Purity: Molecularly distilled to eliminate heavy metals and toxins; non-GMO sunflower vitamin E; packaged in a 100% recycled bottle; free of gluten, soy, milk, wheat, and shellfish.

Smart Buyer's Guide & Fish Oil Form Comparison

Why the Form Matters: Many cheap grocery store fish oils are weak and diluted, often providing only 120 mg of DHA per giant pill. That means you have to swallow three or four large pills every day just to get a helpful dose. Standard softgels also break down right away inside your warm stomach acid, which creates sour, unpleasant fish burps. NOW DHA-500 provides over four times the DHA in a single softgel and uses a targeted enteric coating that protects the oil from stomach acid, letting it open gently in the small intestine for better digestive comfort [4].

Ideal For Shoppers Who:

• ✓Want targeted nutritional support for clear memory, daily focus, and long-term brain health.
• ✓Spend long hours on digital screens and want to support healthy eye moisture, tear production, and retinal function.
• ✓Dislike the nausea, repeating odor, and fishy aftertaste caused by ordinary, uncoated fish oil pills.

Consider Another Option If:

• ✗You follow a strict vegan or vegetarian diet and need an algae-based omega-3 source (this formula is made from wild ocean fish and bovine gelatin).
• ✗You have a severe, medically diagnosed allergy to fish (anchovies, sardines, or tuna).
• ✗You are looking specifically for a high-EPA formula (such as a 2:1 or 3:1 EPA-to-DHA ratio) for joint support, rather than a brain-focused DHA formula.

Every bottle purchased through VitaNet®, LLC is protected by our unconditional 100% money-back guarantee—we even pay the return shipping, even on opened bottles—so you can experience the digestive comfort and purity of this formula completely risk-free.

How DHA and EPA Work Inside Your Cells

Your body cannot make omega-3 fats on its own, so you must get them from your diet. DHA (Docosahexaenoic Acid, C₂₂H₃₂O₂) is the most abundant omega-3 fat found in your brain and eyes [1]. Think of DHA as a fundamental structural building block. It makes up a large portion of the gray matter in your brain and the retina at the back of your eyes [1].

Every cell in your body is surrounded by a flexible skin called a cell membrane. DHA slips directly into these cell membranes, keeping them fluid, soft, and flexible [2]. In your brain, fluid membranes allow nerve cells to send electrical signals and chemical messages to one another quickly and smoothly. This helps support learning, quick thinking, and healthy memory retention as you age [1, 2]. In your eyes, DHA helps the light-sensing cells in your retina turn light into clear visual images that travel directly to your brain [1].

EPA (Eicosapentaenoic Acid, C₂₀H₃₀O₂) works alongside DHA as a cellular protector. While DHA builds the cell structure, EPA helps your body create signaling molecules called resolvins and eicosanoids [2, 3]. These compounds help maintain smooth blood circulation, support blood vessel flexibility, and promote a calm, balanced response to everyday physical stress [3].

The enteric coating on this softgel acts like a protective raincoat. Your stomach contains strong digestive acid (pH 1.5 to 2.5). Uncoated fish oil dissolves in the stomach and floats to the top, which causes acid reflux and fishy burps. NOW's plant-based coating stays completely sealed in stomach acid. It only opens once it reaches your small intestine (pH 6.8 to 7.4), where digestive lipases and bile salts can easily absorb the healthy fats without any unpleasant odor [4].

Daily Dosing, Timing & Synergy Guide

Optimal Timing & Meal Pairing: Take 1 softgel daily with a meal that contains healthy dietary fats, such as eggs, avocado, olive oil, nuts, or yogurt. Dietary fats signal your body to release bile and lipase enzymes, which help break down and absorb the concentrated omega-3 ethyl esters much more effectively [4, 5].

Daily Timing Strategy: You can take your softgel in the morning with breakfast or in the evening with dinner. Because the enteric coating prevents stomach upset and reflux, taking it with your evening meal will not cause heartburn or disrupt your sleep. If you choose to take 2 softgels daily based on your doctor's advice, split them between two separate meals to keep a steady supply of fatty acids circulating in your bloodstream throughout the day.

Smart Synergies & Spacing Rules:

• ✓Great Companions: DHA-500 pairs perfectly with fat-soluble vitamins like Vitamin D₃ and Vitamin K₂, as well as Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), which absorb together smoothly and support heart and brain health.
• ✗Spacing Rule: Take this softgel at least 2 hours away from bulk fiber supplements (like psyllium husk) or fat-binding products (like chitosan), because fiber sponges can trap the oil and carry it out of your body before it can be absorbed.

Timeline of Results:

• Week 1: Smooth, clean digestion right away. The enteric coating ensures zero fishy burps, aftertaste, or stomach heaviness.
• Weeks 3–4: DHA and EPA concentrations begin to rise in your red blood cells and eye tissues, supporting natural tear film moisture and everyday mental clarity.
• Months 2–3+: Deep structural saturation occurs in your brain cell membranes and blood vessels, promoting long-term cardiovascular health and healthy cognitive function.

Physical Softgel Details & Clean Ingredient Profile

Delivery Format & Swallowability: NOW DHA-500 comes in a golden, oblong softgel. Even though it holds a full 1,000 mg of concentrated fish oil, the enteric coating creates a smooth, semi-matte surface. When swallowed with a normal sip of water, it slides easily down the throat without sticking or catching.

Natural Aroma, Taste & Color: When you open the bottle, you will notice it is virtually odorless. There is no sharp fish smell. The softgels have a natural amber-golden color. Because NOW uses real wild-caught ocean fish, slight natural color differences can occur from batch to batch, which is normal for unbleached, natural marine oils.

Every Inactive Ingredient Explained:

• Bovine Gelatin (BSE-free): Forms the sturdy outer capsule shell, sourced safely from certified disease-free cattle.
• Glycerin: A gentle, plant-derived moisturizer that keeps the softgel flexible so it does not crack during storage.
• Enteric Coating (pharmaceutical glaze, ethyl alcohol, ammonium hydroxide, glycerin, sunflower lecithin, medium chain triglycerides): A food-grade protective layer that shields the capsule from stomach acid so it opens only in the small intestine.
• Water: Purified water used to form the gelatin capsule.
• d-alpha Tocopherol (from sunflower): Natural Vitamin E derived from non-GMO sunflowers, added as a protective antioxidant to keep the delicate omega-3 oils fresh and prevent oxidation.
• Fish Source: Wild-caught anchovies, sardines, and tuna harvested from clean ocean waters off the coasts of Peru, Morocco, China, and Mauritius.

Storage & Freshness: Store your bottle in a cool, dry place after opening. Make sure the cap is screwed on tightly. Keep it out of steamy bathrooms and away from hot kitchen stoves or direct sunlight to keep the oils fresh all the way to the 180th softgel.

Supplement Facts, Quality Standards & Lab Testing