Benefits
Knee comfort in adults with persistent knee pain
In 120 adults over 40 with persistent knee pain, 4 tablets a day containing AvailOm for 8 weeks lowered pain ratings from 5.3 to 2.3 versus 5.1 to 4.0 on placebo, the primary measure. The overall WOMAC score, also a registered primary outcome, did not differ from placebo for AvailOm alone. One trial, funded by the maker with two maker employees as authors.
Blood EPA and DHA after a single dose
In two crossover studies (8 women and 21 adults) taken on an empty stomach, plasma EPA and DHA rose more over 12 hours after the lysine salt than after an ethyl ester fish oil, and more than a triglyceride fish oil in the larger one. Plasma levels are a marker of uptake, not a health outcome, and both studies had maker funding or maker authors.
Omega-3 index over 4 to 8 weeks
In the 8 week knee trial, the omega-3 index, the share of EPA plus DHA in red blood cell membranes, rose 0.68 points more than placebo. In a 4 week trial at 250 mg a day with a probiotic, it rose more than placebo but less than with 300 mg of fish oil (0.12 versus 0.5 points). The omega-3 index is a blood marker.
Pro-resolving lipid mediators with a probiotic combination
In 72 healthy adults, 4 weeks of capsules combining AvailOm with the probiotic Bacillus megaterium DSM 32963 and selenium raised plasma 18-HEPE plus 5-HEPE about 3.5-fold versus placebo, the primary endpoint, versus about 1.2-fold with 300 mg of fish oil. These are blood markers, and the effect cannot be assigned to AvailOm alone.
CRP and TNF-alpha in a 4 week trial
In the same 4 week trial, enrolled adults had raised hsCRP or glycation markers at the start, yet hsCRP and TNF-alpha did not change in the probiotic combination, fish oil or placebo groups. Total plasma EPA and DHA also did not differ from placebo at 250 mg a day.
Mechanism of action
Free fatty acids that need no fat-digesting enzyme
In fish oil, EPA and DHA sit in triglycerides or ethyl esters that lipase enzymes must split before uptake. In AvailOm they are free fatty acids paired with lysine; in a lab test the salt fully separated under simulated stomach and gut conditions. Maker-funded authors propose this explains the faster rise in blood levels on an empty stomach.
Blood vessel relaxation in mouse arteries, a lab finding
In isolated mouse resistance arteries, AvailOm relaxed the vessels in a dose-dependent way through AMPK and eNOS signaling, and a mix with anthocyanins protected the vessels from oxidized-LDL damage. The authors found the omega-3 ethyl ester part of AvailOm relaxed the vessels as much as the whole product. This was lab work in animal tissue, not a study in people.
Raw material for bacterial lipid mediators, lab and combination work
In the lab, the probiotic Bacillus megaterium DSM 32963 turned the free fatty acids of AvailOm into pro-resolving lipid mediators, which it could not do with fish oil triglycerides. In people the combination raised the mediator precursors 18-HEPE and 5-HEPE, a blood marker without a shown health effect.
Clinical trials
Single-center, randomized, double-blind, four-arm trial: Boswellia, AvailOm 50 High EPA (25% of each film-coated tablet), both, or placebo, 4 tablets a day for 8 weeks; mg of EPA plus DHA per day not reported. Primary variable: knee pain on a visual analog scale; the registration also lists the WOMAC score as primary. Funded by Evonik Operations GmbH, which supplied the products; Evonik employees M. Gómez and M. Schölzel were authors (Pérez-Piñero et al. 2023, Nutrients)
Healthy adults aged 40 to 75 in Spain with persistent knee pain above 3 on a 10 cm scale; 130 randomized, 120 completers analyzed (31 on AvailOm, 30 on placebo).
Pain fell from 5.3 to 2.3 with AvailOm and from 5.1 to 4.0 with placebo (mean difference -1.779, p = 0.003); weekly pain scores also favored AvailOm (p = 0.045). The overall WOMAC score and its pain items did not differ from placebo for AvailOm alone; only the AvailOm plus Boswellia arm beat placebo on WOMAC. Boswellia alone lowered pain ratings by a similar amount (mean difference -1.784). Only completers were analyzed. Timed Up and Go time fell within the AvailOm group. Omega-3 index rose 0.683 points more than placebo (p = 0.009). Adverse events were mild and judged unrelated.
Randomized three-way crossover with 14 day washouts; single fasting doses of 1,100 mg EPA plus DHA as AvailOm 50 High EPA (7 capsules), an ethyl ester fish oil (2 capsules) and a triglyceride fish oil (3 capsules). Primary endpoint: plasma EPA plus DHA area under the curve over 12 hours. Funded by Evonik Operations GmbH; R. Bosi was an Evonik employee and V. Gourineni a former Evonik employee (Schön et al. 2024, Food Nutr Res)
21 healthy adults (10 men, 11 women), mean age 41.7, with an omega-3 index of 6.0% or less.
Dose-adjusted plasma EPA plus DHA over 12 hours was 9.33 times the ethyl ester value and 1.57 times the triglyceride value; peak rise and time to peak did not differ significantly from the triglyceride product. 6 of 21 rated AvailOm slightly unpleasant and 1 very unpleasant, the latter citing fishy aftertaste and burping. No health outcome was measured.
Lab dissolution tests plus an open-label, randomized two-way crossover of single fasting doses: lysine salt (500 mg EPA plus 302 mg DHA) versus an ethyl ester supplement (504 mg EPA plus 378 mg DHA), blood sampled over 48 hours. Evonik Operations GmbH authors L. Headley, R. Bosi and M. Schwarm; funding not stated in the abstract (Manusama et al. 2021, Prostaglandins Leukot Essent Fatty Acids)
8 female volunteers.
The salt fully dissociated in simulated stomach and intestinal fluids. Plasma EPA and DHA area under the curve over 12 hours and peak levels were higher than with the ethyl ester (p < 0.001), with EPA area about 5 times higher. Plasma levels only; no health outcome.
Double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled parallel trial with an unblinded fish oil arm (300 mg EPA plus DHA a day); test capsules gave 250 mg EPA plus DHA a day as AvailOm lysine salt with Bacillus megaterium DSM 32963 and selenium, coated for colon delivery. Primary endpoint: plasma 18-HEPE plus 5-HEPE. Funded by Evonik Operations GmbH, which made the capsules; Evonik employees B. Speckmann and H. tom Dieck were authors (Speckmann et al. 2024, Nutrients)
72 healthy nonsmoking adults aged 30 to 75 with raised hsCRP or glycation markers and an omega-3 index of 6.5% or less (23 combination, 24 placebo, 25 fish oil).
18-HEPE plus 5-HEPE rose about 3.5-fold with the combination versus no change on placebo. Omega-3 index rose more than placebo (p = 0.0088) but less than with fish oil (0.12 versus 0.5 points); total plasma EPA and DHA did not differ from placebo. hsCRP and TNF-alpha did not change in any group; triglycerides did not differ from placebo (p = 0.10).
Open-label, single-arm 4 week pilot without a control group; 2 capsules a day supplied 477 mg omega-3 lysine salt with Bacillus megaterium DSM 32963, hyaluronic acid, coenzyme Q10, lecithin, vitamins, zinc and selenium. Funded by Evonik Operations GmbH; Evonik employees B. Speckmann, J. Kleinbölting, S. Pelzer and H. tom Dieck were authors (Speckmann et al. 2022, Nutrients)
19 healthy women aged 35 to 60 with a BMI of 25 to 35 and low fatty fish intake.
Plasma 18-HEPE, 15-HEPE, 5-HEPE, 7-HDHA and 4-HDHA rose from baseline, as did EPA and DHA. With no control group and a multi-ingredient product, the changes cannot be assigned to the omega-3 salt. 17 adverse events in 9 women were judged unrelated; some disliked the capsule size and odor.