Are fish-oil pills really as good as advertised?

A flurry of new research on fish-oil supplements is raising eyebrows as well as questions about just how "miraculous" those omega-3 fatty acids really are. "Live long, stay strong," say the ads for fish-oil pills, touting not only omega-3s' familiar heart-health benefits but also mental and cellular protection. But recent clinical trials have reminded nutrition scientists that, after all, the strongest data linking omega-3s and reduced cardiovascular risk come from observational studies: