For over three decades, Dr. Bill Harris, co-founder of OmegaQuant, has dedicated his career to uncovering the science behind omega-3 fatty acids — EPA and DHA. What began as a curiosity about the diet of Greenland’s Inuits in the 1970s has since evolved into a global scientific movement linking omega-3s to heart, brain, and overall health.
This is the story of how omega-3s went from an obscure dietary component to one of the most researched nutrients in modern medicine.
The Discovery: The Greenland Eskimo Connection
The modern omega-3 story began in the 1970s when Danish researchers Jørn Dyerberg and H.O. Bang traveled to Greenland to study the Inuit people, whose diets were unusually rich in marine fats.
Despite consuming a high-fat diet composed largely of fish and seal, the Inuits had remarkably low rates of heart disease.
Their findings were groundbreaking. Published in The Lancet in 1978, their study — “Eicosapentaenoic acid and prevention of thrombosis and atherosclerosis?” — proposed that the omega-3 fatty acid EPA reduced platelet “stickiness,” thereby lowering the risk of blood clots and heart attacks.
This research challenged the long-standing belief that all fats were harmful and sparked a new era in nutritional science.
1980s: Omega-3s Enter the Scientific Spotlight
The 1980s marked the moment omega-3s truly entered the medical mainstream. On May 9, 1985, the New England Journal of Medicine published three landmark papers — spanning epidemiology, clinical medicine, and basic science — all demonstrating the profound cardiovascular benefits of omega-3 fatty acids.
Then, in 1989, the Diet and Reinfarction Trial (DART) showed that patients who ate oily fish for two years after a heart attack had a 29% lower risk of death compared to those who didn’t — one of the first clinical demonstrations of omega-3’s life-saving potential.
1990s: A Landmark Breakthrough – The GISSI-Prevenzione Trial
The 1990s delivered the most powerful omega-3 evidence to date. In 1999, The Lancet published the GISSI-Prevenzione study — the first major trial using fish oil supplements (not dietary changes) to reduce death, cardiovascular mortality, and sudden cardiac death in heart attack survivors.
What made this study even more remarkable was that these benefits occurred without major changes in cholesterol or triglycerides, suggesting that omega-3s worked through unique mechanisms such as stabilizing heart rhythm and reducing inflammation.
By 2002, follow-up research in Circulation confirmed that benefits began as early as three months into supplementation — solidifying omega-3s as one of the most effective natural tools for heart health.
2000s: The Birth of the Omega-3 Index
In 2004, Dr. Bill Harris and Dr. Clemens von Schacky introduced a new concept that would change how omega-3 status is measured: the Omega-3 Index.
Published in Preventive Medicine, their research proposed that the percentage of EPA and DHA in red blood cells could predict the risk of fatal heart disease.
An Omega-3 Index of 8% or higher was associated with optimal heart health, while levels below 4% indicated increased risk.
By 2011, the Omega-3 Index test had become available for clinical use — bringing omega-3 research from the lab into everyday healthcare.
2010–2018: A Decade of Challenges and Controversy
The 2010s were a mixed period for omega-3 research. Several large-scale trials, including OMEGA, ORIGIN, VITAL, and ASCEND, failed to show significant results — leading some to question the benefits of omega-3 supplements.
However, many of these studies used low doses or populations that already had high baseline omega-3 levels, which likely limited their impact.
The 2013 SELECT trial added confusion when it raised concerns about omega-3s and prostate cancer — a claim that was later widely refuted.
Despite these controversies, scientific interest never waned. Researchers continued to refine their understanding of dose, quality, and target populations, setting the stage for a major comeback.
2018 and Beyond: The Omega-3 Revival
Everything changed again in November 2018 at the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions, when the REDUCE-IT trial results were released.
This landmark study found that 4 grams of EPA per day reduced cardiovascular events by 25% in patients already taking statins — one of the most significant breakthroughs in omega-3 research in two decades.
The findings reaffirmed what scientists like Dr. Harris had long suspected: the dose matters. High enough omega-3 intake — particularly EPA and DHA — is key to achieving measurable clinical benefits.
The ongoing STRENGTH trial, using a 4-gram combination of EPA and DHA, is expected to shed even more light on the relationship between omega-3 dosage and cardiovascular outcomes.
The Legacy of Omega-3 Research
From the icy coasts of Greenland to the halls of modern medical research, omega-3s have reshaped our understanding of nutrition and cardiovascular health.
What began as an observation among the Inuit has evolved into one of the most extensively studied and clinically validated nutrients in the world.
Thanks to decades of research by pioneers like Dr. Bill Harris, we now know that omega-3 fatty acids — particularly EPA and DHA — are not just “good fats.”
They are essential components of a healthier, longer, and more resilient life.
