Fish oil supplements not associated with increases in bad cholesterol The Fatty Acid Research Institute (FARI) has published a new research paper in conjunction with The Cooper Institute on the omega-3s EPA and DHA in fish oil and low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C). Omega-3 fatty acids have a long history of being "heart healthy," and are well-known for lowering blood levels of triglycerides (but typically not cholesterol). Recent questions have been raised, however, about one of the two "fish oil" omega-3 fatty acids -- DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) -- and the possibility that it might actually raise levels of LDL-C, the "bad" cholesterol.