Omega-3 Index

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Part 3 – Omega-3 Index Series: What Factors Influence the Omega-3 Index?

January 10, 2022Ballstad NO Staff Account

An Omega-3 Index in the higher single digits is associated with more favorable cardiovascular and systemic profiles in population studies. If your result is lower than your goal, adjust intake...

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Part 2 — Omega-3 Index Series: 3 Reasons to Measure Omega-3 Levels in Red Blood Cells

January 10, 2022Ballstad NO Staff Account

If your goal is to understand and improve your omega-3 status in a way that maps to tissues and long-term health, the compartment you measure makes all the difference. RBC...

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Part 1 – Omega-3 Index Series: Discovering the Omega-3 Index

January 10, 2022Ballstad NO Staff Account

Since the original proposal in 2004, the foundational paper has been cited hundreds of times, and more than 200 studies have used the Omega-3 Index method. That consistency lets clinicians...

A person's hands are pointing at a printed Omega-3 Index Risk Zones chart on a piece of paper lying on a wooden table.

What Do Your Omega-3 Index Results Mean?

January 10, 2022Ballstad NO Staff Account

The Omega-3 Index has been used in 200+ peer-reviewed studies and across collaborations with more than 100 research institutions. It’s a tissue-reflective, stable biomarker with clear, actionable targets—one number that...

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A Higher Omega-3 Index Linked to Better Asthma Control

January 10, 2022Ballstad NO Staff Account

The emerging pattern is consistent: higher long-term omega-3 status (as captured by the Omega-3 Index) is linked to better asthma control and, in adults, lower steroid requirements.

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Omega-3 Blood Testing Is Gaining Traction with Experts

January 10, 2022Ballstad NO Staff Account

ISSFAL’s endorsement of omega-3 blood testing signals a maturing field: to judge the true impact of EPA and DHA, we must measure what reaches the bloodstream and tissues.

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Can You Calculate How Much Omega-3 You Need?

January 10, 2022Ballstad NO Staff Account

Reaching an optimal Omega-3 Index isn’t a guessing game anymore. Test to see where you’re starting, choose a realistic daily EPA+DHA target based on that baseline and the supplement form,...

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Omega-3 Levels Are LOW Across America’s ‘Stroke Belt’

January 07, 2022Ballstad NO Staff Account

Residents of the stroke belt show alarmingly low omega-3 status—a potential, modifiable contributor to the region’s elevated cardiovascular risk. Raising intake of EPA and DHA and tracking the Omega-3 Index...

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Taking the ‘Prenatal DHA Initiative’ to the Frontlines

January 07, 2022Ballstad NO Staff Account

When pregnancy is on the horizon—or already underway—knowing your DHA number is one of the simplest, most actionable steps you can take to support a full-term, healthy delivery.

A close-up shot of a person's hands performing a finger-prick test, likely for blood sugar or a small blood sample collection.

6 Reasons to Assess Your Nutritional Status with an Omega-3 Index Test

January 07, 2022Ballstad NO Staff Account

A modern diet can easily fall short on the omega-3s that move the needle. The Omega-3 Index provides an objective, clinically anchored way to assess where you are, tailor your...

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What is the Omega-3 Index?

January 07, 2022Ballstad NO Staff Account

The Omega-3 Index plays a double role. Clinically, it behaves like a cardiovascular risk marker—akin to cholesterol—because higher values are consistently linked with lower risk for cardiac events. Practically, it’s...

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New Research Finds a Link Between the Omega-3 Index and Blood Pressure

January 07, 2022Ballstad NO Staff Account

In young, healthy adults, a higher Omega-3 Index tracks with meaningfully lower blood pressure. Given how many people sit at low EPA+DHA levels, aiming to raise your Omega-3 Index may...