Omega-3 Testing in Whole Blood

OmegaScore® personalized omega-3 testing using a dried blood spot was developed by Lipid Analytical Laboratories (LAL), a division of CanAlt Health Labs Inc. These tests can be ordered through CanAlt Health Laboratories.

The Importance of Testing

In adults, higher blood levels of EPA/DHA omega-3 have been associated with a significantly lower risk for psychological distress, depression, cognitive impairment, age-related dementia, certain cancers and various other disorders.

The OmegaScore® is a very strong indicator of the risk for sudden cardiac death based on published studies from the Harvard School of Public Health in the New England Journal of Medicine.¹ Furthermore, a high OmegaScore® is related to a reduced risk for “all-cause mortality”² and “cognitive deterioration with aging”³; all of which will be provided to you in an easy to interpret report.

If the lab results indicate a low OmegaScore®, individuals can initiate an increased intake of omega-3 fatty acids from food sources (e.g. fish/seafood) and/or supplements containing EPA/DHA. If the latter intake modifications are done on a regular basis, one can expect their OmegaScore® to be favourably altered to be in the low risk zone for the above health conditions. Re-testing can be done after 4-8 weeks to confirm entry into the “low risk” zones.

1. Harris WS1, Von Schacky C., Prev Med. 2004 Jul;39(1):212-20.
2. Albert et al., N. Engl. J. Med. 346(15):1113-1118, 2002
3. Harris et al., J. Clin. Lipidol. 12(3):718-727, 2018

Screening

The whole blood OmegaScore® test measures the long chain omega-3 fatty acids EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid), DPA (docosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) from the sample provided as a percentage of the total fatty acids measured in your blood sample.