The Fatty Acid Balance test is an assessment of essential fatty acid levels, including the critically important omega-3s, in the body. These fatty acids are deemed “essential” as the human body cannot produce them on its own. It is ESSENTIAL that we get them from our diet.

Omega-3 fatty acids play a critical role in maintaining cellular health, and they are critically low in the Standard American Diet. The Standard American Diet has a 14:1 ratio of omega-6s to omega-3s. Ideally, we want 4:1.

Omega-3s serve as the foundation for cell membranes, influencing membrane fluidity and inflammation regulation. Deficiencies in omega-3s can lead to increased rigidity of cell membranes, heightened inflammation (ie. joint pain), eczema, and an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke, depression, and cognitive decline.

The Fatty Acid Balance test assesses your omega-3 index, omega-6 fatty acid index, trans fat index, omega-6: omega-3 ratio, and saturated fatty acid index. The omega-3 index part of the test assesses of EPA and DHA in your red blood cells. Optimal levels are between 6.8-12%. Studies show that people with an omega-3 index below 4% have a 90% higher risk of sudden heart attack death compared to those above 8%. The typical Japanese omega-3 index is greater than 8.0% and that may correlate with a five-year longer life expectancy in Japan.

Research consistently highlights the omega-3 index as a powerful predictor of long-term health:

Reduced risk of all cause mortality

Heart health and longevity

Reduced risk of heart disease

Reduced risk of Alzheimer’s– low omega-3 index is associated with lower cognition and higher tau accumulation among ApoE4 carriers. Women with Alzheimer’s have significantly lower levels of omega-3s and higher levels of saturated fats, pointing to a disrupted lipid balance that may influence brain decline.

The Importance of Testing

While some people have outward symptoms of essential fatty acid deficiency, such as brain fog, dry eyes, or eczema, most people are deficient in omega-3s without realizing it.

Unfortunately, eating fish and consuming supplements does not guarantee delivery of crucial omega-3 fatty acids to important organs and tissues such as your heart, brain, eyes, and joints. Just because you may be eating omega-3s, it doesn’t mean that you are actually absorbing them! Your own unique differences in metabolism, absorption, and genetics may alter metabolism and absorption of omegas. Test don’t guess!

The good news? This is actionable information. We get the test results, and we can tailor your diet and supplements to get your levels where they need to be.

In addition to assessing levels of omegas, we also get your saturated fatty acid index and trans fat index- two fats in the diet that are consistently linked to increased risk of heart attack and stroke. And again, we can do something with this information. Our doctors can counsel you on how to improve the balance of fats in your diet.

We now offer this test at Lakeside. Let us know if you have any questions!

References:

McBurney MI, Tintle NL, Vasan RS, et al. Using an erythrocyte fatty acid fingerprint to predict risk of all-cause mortality: the Framingham Offspring Cohort. Am J Clin Nutr. 2021 Oct 4;114(4):1447-54.

Harris WS, Tintle NL, Etherton MR, et al. Erythrocyte long-chain omega-3 fatty acid levels are inversely associated with mortality and with incident cardiovascular disease: The Framingham Heart Study. J Clin Lipidol. 2018 May – Jun;12(3):718-27 e6.

Harris WS, Von Schacky C. The Omega-3 Index: a new risk factor for death from coronary heart disease? Prev Med. 2004 Jul;39(1):212-20. doi: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2004.02.030.

Rouch L, Virecoulon Giudici K, Cantet C, Guyonnet S, Delrieu J, Legrand P, Catheline D, Andrieu S, Weiner M, de Souto Barreto P, Vellas B; Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative. Associations of erythrocyte omega-3 fatty acids with cognition, brain imaging and biomarkers in the Alzheimer’s disease neuroimaging initiative: cross-sectional and longitudinal retrospective analyses. Am J Clin Nutr. 2022 Dec 19;116(6):1492-1506. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/nqac236.