Omega-3 Index Test

The Omega-3 Index test is a home blood test (finger prick) that measures the percentage of EPA + DHA (omega-3) in your red blood cells.

A score between 8–12% is considered optimal.

Your diet and lifestyle influence your fatty acid balance. This test gives you insight into your omega-3 status and tells you whether adjusting your diet or supplementation is useful. Measuring = knowing where you stand and what you can improve.

With the results of the test you can use the calculator to calculate your optimal omega-3 dosage.

You will receive a flat test kit through your letterbox. It contains everything you need to use a finger prick to place 2 drops of blood on a special card. If you follow the instructions, it can hardly go wrong and it is painless. Then you put the card in the enclosed return envelope (with freepost number) and send it to us. Together with our certified lab in Germany, we make sure you receive the results report by email after about 15 working days. You will then know exactly how many omega-3 fatty acids your body cells contain and how they relate to the omega-6 fatty acids.

You will receive the results report usually within 15 working days by email.

In the report you will find, among other things:

• The HS-Omega-3 Index: the percentage of EPA + DHA in your red blood cells.
  
  A value between 8% and 12% is considered optimal.
• The omega-6/omega-3 ratio: this shows how the fatty acids relate to each other.
  
  A ratio of at most 3:1 (omega-6 : omega-3) is considered ideal.
  
  A ratio below 1:1 is not desirable.

The report also contains an overview of several fatty acids and a brief explanation of the results.

An example of the report can be found here. 

•  The test kit contains:
  
• – Instructions
• – Lancing material (2 lancets, alcohol wipe, gauze and plaster)
• – Blood spot card
• – Zip bag 
• – Return envelope

By eating a lot of processed food, many people unknowingly take in a lot of omega-6. If you also eat little oily fish (such as herring, mackerel, sardines or salmon) or plant-based omega-3 (for example from algae oil, flaxseed oil, walnuts or avocado), the ratio can rise to 10–20 times more omega-6 than omega-3. This is unfavourable, because omega-3 and omega-6 use the same enzymes and an excess of omega-6 can reduce the effect of omega-3. 

A good balance between omega-6 and omega-3 is generally considered healthier within a varied diet. A healthy fatty acid ratio is at most 3–5 : 1 (omega-6 : omega-3), where 3 : 1 or lower is ideal . More omega-3 than omega-6 is not necessary; 1 : 1 is the lower limit.

You can then do the following:

1. Regularly eat oily fish (such as herring, mackerel, sardines and salmon), possibly supplemented with a dose of fish oil.
2. Use extra plant-based omega-3 sources (crushed flaxseed (oil), crushed chia seed, (wal)nuts, avocado and seaweed), possibly supplemented with a dose of algae oil.
3. Always cook from scratch (with fresh and varied products)
4. Drink less/no alcohol

Do you think you need extra omega-3 on top of this? Then you can consider starting with a double daily dose of fish oil or algae oil.

On a vegan or vegetarian diet you mainly get omega-3 in the form of ALA from plant sources such as flaxseed (oil), chia seed and walnuts. The body can convert ALA into the active omega-3 EPA and DHA only to a limited extent. If you want to be sure of sufficient EPA and DHA but do not eat fish, you can replace fish oil with plant-based algae oil. Algae oil is completely vegan and provides EPA and DHA directly, without the use of fish. 

This is only possible 4 to 5 months after you have started consuming more Omega-3 (and less Omega-6) for a period of time (through diet and/or supplements). This is because it takes that long for all fatty acids in the red blood cells to be replaced.

See the Privacy document of the provider.