If you’ve been following us for a while, you have heard that Omega-3s are in our Top 5 Supplement Recommendations for almost everyone. We now offer a way for you to know for certain if you are getting enough Omega-3s for optimal health.
The Omega-3 Index is a safe, simple test that requires a simple finger poke. Not only is it a test you can take to assess your Omega-3 status, it is also a risk factor for heart disease, just like cholesterol.
Why Risk Factors are Important
According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), risk factors are conditions or habits that make a person more likely to develop a disease. They can also increase the chances that an existing disease will get worse. It’s not all bad. Risk factors can be modified to slow or halt the progression of diseases, and sometimes even reverse them completely.
The National Heart, Lung & Blood Institute at the NIH lists the following as risk factors for Heart Disease:
• High blood pressure
• High blood cholesterol
• Diabetes and prediabetes
• Smoking
• Being overweight or obese
• Being physically inactive
• Having a family history of early heart disease
• Having a history of preeclampsia during pregnancy
• Unhealthy diet
• Age (55 or older for women)
One thing missing from this list is the Omega-3 Index. The hypothesis of the Omega-3 Index as a risk factor for heart disease was first put forth in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition by Dr. Bill Harris, who co-invented the Omega-3 Index test. He said the Omega-3 Index fulfills many of the requirements for a risk factor, including consistent epidemiologic evidence, a plausible mechanism of action, a reproducible assay, independence from classic risk factors, modifiability, and, most important, the demonstration that raising levels will reduce risk for cardiac events. In other words, it could be just as important, if not more so, than your cholesterol level.
How EPA and DHA Measure Up
The Omega-3 Index test is simply a measure of the amount of EPA and DHA in your blood, specifically the red blood cell membranes. For example, if you have a total of 64 fatty acids in a cell membrane and three are EPA and DHA, then you would have an Omega-3 Index of 4.6%.
When you take an Omega-3 Index test, it gives you a percentage. Well, what does that mean exactly? An Omega-3 Index of 8% or higher is ideal, the lowest risk zone. However, most consumers hover around 6% or below. And unfortunately in the US, most people are at 4% or below – the highest risk zone. Being in the highest risk zone trans-lates to a 90% higher risk of sudden cardiac death.
Risk Zones: The Omega-3 Index
High Risk: <4%
Intermediate Risk: 4–8%
Low Risk: >8%
What’s Your Omega-3 Index?
Most consumers are not familiar with the Omega-3 Index test. In fact, many don’t even know about the health risks associated with low Omega-3 levels. And for those who actually do understand what all of this means, there is still a lot of confusion.
For example, will all Omega-3s raise the Omega-3 Index? The answer is no. ONLY EPA and DHA Omega-3s will raise the Omega-3 Index. ALA, another popular Omega-3 found in sources like flax and chia, will have no impact on the Omega-3 Index.
Low Omega-3 levels are associated with a multitude of health issues such as heart disease, Alzheimer’s, eye disease, hair thinning or loss, joint pain or stiffness, depression, inflammation, dry or irritated skin, and much more. Unfortunately, most Americans just don’t include enough fish in their regular diets.
Unlike a cholesterol test, you don’t need a doctor to obtain an Omega-3 Index test. In fact, most doctors won’t automatically test your Omega-3 level during annual well vis-its, even though most people don’t get sufficient amounts of these nutrients from their diets.
No matter how healthy you think you are, you should always know your number. We are now offering Omega-3 Index testing at Norland Avenue Pharmacy. Pick up your test today for just $50. Results come back in less than a week.
Are you including enough Omega-3s in your diet? Is your Omega-3 supplement good enough quality to actually work? Don’t guess when you can test!
*These statements are culmination of the knowledge and experience of the team at Norland Pharmacy. The information provided here is for informational purposes only. Please consult your healthcare provider with questions concerning any medical condition or treatment. Compounded medications are not reviewed by the FDA for safety or efficacy. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration, and this product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
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