What are Omega-3 fatty acids?
Omega-3 fatty acids are part of the membranes surrounding each cell. They are commonly found in food rich in fish oil, plant based oils and dietary supplements.
These fatty acids play important roles in healthy heart, eyes, brain, immune system, joints, lungs, blood vessels, and hormone balance.
There is a long list of fatty acids, but the three key ones are AHA (alpha-linolenic acid), EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid), and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid). AA (arachidonic acid) is another important Omega-6 fatty acid.
Because our body doesn’t make most of these fatty acids in sufficient amount, foods such as flaxseed, fish oil, canola oil, soybean, seafood, and dietary supplements are the main source of them.
What is Omega-3 Index?
The Omega-3 index is a range defined based on EPA and DHA levels for optimal health. A range of 8-12% is considered desirable and can be improved by consuming optimal amounts of foods rich in Omega-3 fatty acids.
Why test for Omega-3?
Because they play an important role in heart health, immune system, and healthy brain, eyes, joints, and endocrine system, it’s vital to monitor Omega-3 levels. The Office of Dietary Supplements at NIH says optimal levels play key role in managing chronic diseases, cardiovascular disease, in the development of babies, and in avoiding Alzheimer’s and dementia. Omega-3 acids also help in preventing dry-eyes, arthritis, and pain in joints.
What the sources of fatty acids?
The Omega-3 fatty acids are naturally found many foods in our diets:
Fish and seafoods (cod, krill, salmon, tuna, trout, mackerel, sardines, herring, and other fatty fish).
Plant based oils (soybean, canola, flaxseed).
Many nuts and seeds (chia, flaxseed, walnuts).
Dietary supplements (e.g., fish oil, krill oil, cod liver oil, algae oil).
Specific fortified foods (including certain eggs, milk, yoghurt, juices, soy milk, and formulas).
The Omega-6 fatty acids, e.g., AA (arachidonic acid) are supplied by dietary animal sources, such as eggs and meats.
What is tested with the Omega-3 Test?
The test will measure for the following:
Omega-3 Fatty Acid Index: an indication overall health; a low Omega-3 FA index is associated with an increased risk for CVD.
Omega-6 Fatty Acid Index: research suggests there's are some complex effects of omega-6 fatty acids on cardiovascular risk.
Monosaturated Fatty Acids Index: Studies suggest monounsaturated fats from plants can help reduce heart disease risk.
EPA or Eicosapentaenoic Acid: High EPA levels have been associated with lower risk of heart disease.
DHA or Docosahexaenoic Acid: High DHA levels have been associated with a lower risk of CVD.
AA or Arachidonic Acid: another important polyunsaturated fatty acid; very low & very high AA levels can impact our health.
AA/EPA ratio: another marker of Omega-6 to Omega-3 ratio. Some research suggests an EPA/AA ratio of over 0.75 is optimal, which often needs supplements.
Omega-3/Omega-6 Ratio: Our body can’t make tran-fats and industrial sources of these fats have impacted our cardiovascular health; values as low as possible are desired.
How to get tested for Omega-3?
The easiest low-cost way to get tested for Omega-3 fatty acids is from the convenience of your home. Simply order a Essential Fatty Acids and Omega-3 Test kit, collect the sample at home, ship it for free to our world class CLIA-certified labs, and find out your results in less than a week.
Follow the NIH page for detailed discussion about Omega-3, sources, deficiency, and published research here.
Q: Can I purchase the test across US?
A: Except New Jersey and New York the test is available in all 48 states. State regulations in NY, NJ do not allow us to ship the tests to their residents.
Q: What does the kit contain and how do I use it?
A: The Omega-3 test kit contains a blood card to collect a single drop of blood, a lancet for finger-pricking, a band-aid, a cotton gauze, instructions on how to collect the sample, and a form requesting basic information including date and time of collection. The directions are straight forward and easy to follow.
Q: How long does it take to receive the results?
A: You will receive the kit within 3-5 business days. After you ship the sample and it is received by our lab, you get the results within 5-7 business days.
Q: What do I expect from the report?
A: The report with your test results will be easy to understand and will have all the necessary details. It will list your levels levels for Omega-3 fatty acids and the Index with desirable levels. It will also mark the ranges, and list values for multiple fatty acid groups.
Q: Can I use my insurance to pay for the test?
A: You can use HSA (or FSA/MSA/HRA) accounts to pay for the tests since these are prescription tests (for further confirmation, please check the IRS publication#969). However, please ensure you are not going outside your specified max and min deductible limits. We do not have the capability to process the insurance claim. Insurance plans vary by individuals, therefore we can not guarantee your HSA payment will always be processed by your plan. Please talk to your insurance provider if you have any further concerns.
Q: How reliable are my results?
A: For testing your samples, we have partnered with CLIA-certified labs that are used by physicians across the US. These labs are regulated by the states, as well as Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Many the tests from these labs are FDA approved to ensure they meet the proper regulatory requirements. Additionally, the College of American Pathologists (CAP) requires inter-laboratory tests to ensure the ranges established by each lab do not drift or are not out of acceptable ranges. This is done by regularly testing reference samples between different labs. Finally, the labs test thousands of sample for different age groups and health conditions, and have well established reference data to compare your results against this large pool.
