VIDEO: Similar to Cholesterol, Should Omega-3 Levels Be Considered a Risk Factor?

Bill Harris introduces the HS-Omega3® test and its importance as a biomarker of cardiovascular health. Professor Harris is currently Professor of Medicine at the University of South Dakota.

It has long been known that dietary intake data provides a very poor indicator of a person’s omega 3 status. There is also a consistent association between low tissue levels of marine omega 3 fatty acids and onset of cardiovascular disease.  Back in 2002 at an American Heart Association Meeting, Professor Harris got into discussion with Professor Clemens Von Schacky of the University of Munich about devising a simple-to-conduct test that could be used for this risk factor – thus the HS-Omega3® test was born. The test measures the quantity of the marine omega 3 fatty acids EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) as a percentage of the lipids extracted from red blood cell membranes. A value of 8% or more is required to be ensure optimum cardiovascular health, whereas a value of 4% or less leads to substantially increased risk of cardiovascular disease.