The tests we offer are reimbursable by insurance companies using code: CPT Code 82542.

Success of this reimbursement, however, is usually influenced by the ICD Code that a HCP enters to provide the reasoning why the test was taken. (i.e. Lipid panel to aid with cardiovascular treatment or Essential Fatty Acid Deficiency E63.0).

OTHER CPT Codes:

Vitamin D: 081950

uMMA: 83921 82470

Hba1c: 83036

Omega 3 index (OR all fatty acid tests): 82542

Blood samples processed by OmegaQuant are ONLY used for the test that was ordered by the patient or healthcare provider. Leftover blood samples are destroyed within two weeks after going through analysis.

The short answer is nothing. We adhere to strict privacy rules, so your personal data is not shared with anyone but you or your healthcare provider (and in this case, only if you allow them to see your results). Any data that is shared in our own research is anonymous data that is not attached to anyone’s personal results.

Once the sample is received at OmegaQuant, your results should be available within 7 business days.

Yes, you can return your unused sample collection kit for a refund if the following conditions are met.

Returns

• You have 30 calendar days to return a collection kit from the date you received it.
• To be eligible for a return, your collection kit must be unused and in the same condition that you received it.
• Your collection kit must be in the original packaging.
• You will need to email info@omegaquant.com to provide your receipt, proof of purchase and/or barcode prior to returning the collection kit.

Refunds

• Once we receive your collection kit, we will inspect it and notify you that we have received your returned collection kit. We will immediately notify you on the status of your refund after inspecting the kit.
• If your return is approved, we will initiate a refund to your credit card or original method of payment minus a 20% re-stocking fee.
• You will receive the credit within a certain amount of days, depending on your card issuer’s policies.

Shipping

• You will be responsible for paying for your own shipping costs for returning your collection kit. Shipping costs are nonrefundable.

• You have 30 calendar days to return a collection kit from the date you received it.
• To be eligible for a return, your collection kit must be unused and in the same condition that you received it.
• Your collection kit must be in the original packaging.
• You will need to email info@omegaquant.com to provide your receipt, proof of purchase and/or barcode prior to returning the collection kit.
• Once we receive your collection kit, we will inspect it and notify you that we have received your returned collection kit. We will immediately notify you on the status of your refund after inspecting the kit.
• If your return is approved, we will initiate a refund to your credit card or original method of payment minus a 20% re-stocking fee.
• You will receive the credit within a certain amount of days, depending on your card issuer’s policies.

You will be responsible for paying for your own shipping costs for returning your collection kit. Shipping costs are nonrefundable.

HbA1c stands for Hemoglobin A1c, which is a specific type of protein that glucose becomes attached to. Glucose is a simple sugar that is absorbed into the bloodstream when your body breaks down carbohydrate foods. When glucose is absorbed, some of it becomes attached to the hemoglobin A1c protein and, over time, the more glucose that is circulating in the blood stream, the more glucose becomes attached to the hemoglobin A1c protein. HbA1c is expressed as a percentage because it is the percent of hemoglobin A1c protein that has glucose attached, so if your HbA1c is 5.5%, that means that 5.5% of the hemoglobin A1c proteins have glucose attached to them.

The main source of sugar in your blood comes directly from the foods you eat. Some examples of these types of foods include rice, potatoes, pasta and bread, as well as sugary foods such as cookies, cakes, and pastries. When glucose enters the bloodstream after you eat carbohydrates, it goes through the pancreas. The pancreas secretes insulin when you consume carbohydrates and sends excess glucose to the liver as glycogen. The pancreases also produces glucagon, which actually raises blood sugar when necessary. You need both glycogen and glucagon to keep blood sugar levels balanced.

Glucose is the primary sugar found in your blood. It is also your body’s main source of energy. However, when there is too much in your blood over a period of time it can damage blood vessels, tissues and organs and potentially lead to serious health issues like diabetes, heart disease and cognitive disorders, as well as vision and nerve problems.

Some signs of high blood sugar include frequent urination, increased hunger and thirst, fatigue, blurred vision, tingling or numbness in the hands or feet, and unexplained weight loss. If you are experiencing any of these, you should immediately consult a health care provider.

Low blood sugar, also called hypoglycemia, is an issue faced most often by diabetics who have taken too much insulin, causing their blood sugar level to drop. This typically requires quick treatment with sugary drinks like orange juice or honey or candy. In severe cases, someone will require a shot of glucagon to bring the level back up. Some of the signs of low blood sugar are an irregular or fast heartbeat, fatigue, sweating, irritability, and tingling or numbness on the lips, tongue and cheeks. In severe cases, hypoglycemia can also cause confusion, loss of consciousness, seizures and blurred vision. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, you should immediately consult a health care provider.

You do not need to fast for the HbA1c test. Unlike other glucose tests, your HbA1c number reflects glucose levels over time, not a quick, one-time snapshot of a current glucose level.

A fasting glucose test will give you a great snapshot of your current glucose level. However, fasting glucose can also be affected acutely by a lot of different factors that don’t necessarily reflect your overall glucose metabolism. On the other hand, HbA1c offers you a window into your glucose levels over a longer period (~3 months).

The HbA1c method (reagents/kit) that we purchase from the manufacturer is NGSP-certified. This means our test’s reference values are compatible with NGSP reference values.

NGSP stands for National Glycohemoglobin Standardization Program (NGSP), which was implemented to enable laboratories to report DCCT/UKPDS-traceable GHb/HbA1c results.

HbA1c should be tested every 2-3 months if you are making diet and lifestyle changes.

While it is possible for your HbA1c to be too low, it is very rare. HbA1c under 4.0% is considered extremely low and is associated with a significant increase in all-cause mortality. Although it is not well understood why a low HbA1c is associated with an increase in all-cause mortality, it is likely because individuals with other conditions such as iron-deficiency anemia, liver diseases/disorders, or inflammatory conditions have lower circulating glucose or lower hemoglobin levels that can affect their HbA1c. If your HbA1c is extremely low, you need to speak with a health care provider to discuss your results.

Anyone can benefit from better understanding their health, specifically their glucose metabolism.

While it is important for diabetics to monitor and manage their HbA1c, anyone can benefit from checking their levels. Being proactive can help you identify areas of your health/lifestyle that may need adjusting. Or if you’ve recently made a change, checking to see if that change is having the desired metabolic effect. Elevated blood glucose is very common and can escalate quickly, so monitoring your HbA1c regularly can help you get a head of any problems down the road.

Absolutely. There are so many factors that can affect blood glucose, including stress, sleep, and genetics. Checking your HbA1c can help you determine if your lifestyle is, in fact, supporting a healthy blood sugar level. And if not, you can re-check in 2-3 months when you adjust in your diet or activity.

The term “blood sugar” can be confusing as it implies that only sugary, dessert-type foods will increase blood glucose. Any carbohydrate, even healthy ones such as whole grains, beans, vegetables, and fruits can be broken down into glucose as well. Your body also can produce its own glucose in the liver when it is stressed or deprived of glucose in your diet, so checking your HbA1c can give you an idea of how well your body is regulating glucose and if you might need to make any changes.

It is a common misconception that people on a low-carb diet will always have low blood sugar. Although you won’t be taking in much glucose, your body can and will produce it on its own in your liver through a process called gluconeogenesis. In fact, depriving your body of exogenous carbohydrates (via food) can result in an increase in cortisol production, which then triggers the process of gluconeogenesis in your liver. Your liver will produce glucose to feed your organs, specifically your brain, because you are not taking in enough carbohydrates via your diet. So, while decreasing carbohydrates can be an effective way to manage high blood sugar, going too low in carbohydrates can lead to the opposite effect. Therefore, measuring your HbA1c while making any dietary changes is still very important.

DHA, the most abundant omega-3 fatty acid in the brain and retina, is a particularly important factor in the first two years of a child’s development. DHA assists in brain and eye development and function, and supports healthy heart function.

No, either will work.

Collect your milk sample during the first feed of the day, before eating breakfast or taking any supplements. For best results, collect your sample in the middle or end of the feeding session. Although the percentage of DHA does not change over the course of the day like total fat does, this is the best practice to get the most accurate results.

It’s best to measure your breast milk DHA levels about 2-4 weeks after delivering your baby. DHA levels change naturally from the breast milk in the first few days after delivery (called “colostrum”) to the later breast milk (“mature milk”). Measuring your DHA breast milk level within the first month of breast feeding will allow you to make the necessary changes to your diet if you have low DHA levels.

If your DHA levels are optimum with your first testing, and you maintain the same health status, diet, and/or supplements, then once is enough. However, if your levels are low, and you decide to increase your intake of DHA (via fish or fish oil pills), then you can take the test as soon as two weeks after your previous test. (It only takes two weeks to change the levels of DHA in your breast milk!

Due to differences in metabolisms, and a variety of other health issues, the right amount of DHA can vary between individuals. Current recommendations are that lactating women consume at least 200 mg of DHA per day. The average intake for women in their 20s-30s in the United States is about 55 mg per day.

Premature infants have an even greater need for DHA after they are born, as they missed out on some time for brain DHA accumulation from their mother in utero. Mothers of premature infants can safely increase their Mother’s Milk DHA levels by eating fish and supplementing with up to 800 mg DHA per day.

There are literally thousands of studies on the role of and need for DHA during pregnancy and after birth. Like virtually all areas of human nutrition, there is some controversy about DHA as well. Some believe that even the low levels of DHA in the breast milk of American women is good enough for babies. Others contend that higher levels (like those in Japan, where DHA levels are eight times higher than in the United States) give babies an intellectual “head start.”

1. The brain contains large amounts of DHA.
2. DHA has to come from mom in utero, and needs to be in formulas/breast milk after birth.
3. Studies have shown behavioral, IQ, and developmental benefits of higher DHA levels in the infant diet, whereas others have not.
4. Breast milk levels of 1% (compare to the less than 0.2% in American milk) are completely safe for the baby. All baby formula makers now enrich their products with DHA, and often to levels that are higher than commonly found in American breast milk. The reason for this is to match the worldwide average DHA level in human breast milk (about 0.32%).

The Mother’s Milk DHA Test. This includes a collection kit, the envelope and postage to send in your blood spot, and a detailed report of your results. Your results will include your omega-3 DHA level.

We use a single drop of blood to measure the Omega-3 Index

• A single finger prick provides enough blood for us to measure your Omega-3 Index.
• This eliminates the need to have your blood drawn at a clinic and the hassle of sending hazardous materials (blood) through the mail. You can collect your sample and send it through the mail from the comfort of your own home!

We are able to pass along the savings from our efficient collection system to you, the consumer, and offer a high-quality test at an economical price.

The Omega-3 Index test can give you an unbiased view of your dietary intake of omega-3s as well as a measure of heart disease risk.

• Other fatty acid tests do not use the same analysis methods and cannot be interchanged with the Omega-3 Index. So your EPA+DHA, for example, might be 6.7% in Lab A and 5.2% in Lab B. Which one is “right?”
• The unique method we use at OmegaQuant has more research behind it than any other commercially-available test, and new studies continue to be published.

Dr. Harris, the Founder and President of OmegaQuant, has been doing research in omega-3s for nearly 40 years, and has more than 300 published research papers in this field.

Omega-3 Index Basic test is $54.95. This includes a collection kit, the envelope and postage to send in your blood spot, and a detailed report of your results. Your results will include your Omega-3 Index.

Omega-3 Index Plus test is $79.95. This includes a collection kit, the envelope and postage to send in your blood spot, and a detailed report of your results. Your results will include your Omega-3 Index, Trans Fat Index and AA:EPA ratio and Omega-6:Omega-3 ratio.

Omega-3 Index Complete test is $99.95. This includes a collection kit, the envelope and postage to send in your blood spot, and a detailed report of your results. Your results will include your Omega-3 Index, Trans Fat Index, full fatty acid profile, AA:EPA ratio and Omega-6:Omega-3 ratio.

No. There is no way to predict – for any given person – what his/her Omega-3 Index will be just by knowing how much fish they eat or how many capsules they take. Individual differences in metabolism, absorption, and genetics make it impossible to predict with certainty how a given person will respond to supplements.

The only way is to directly measure the Omega-3 Index.

The target Omega-3 Index is 8% and above, a level that current research indicates is associated with the lowest risk* for death from CHD. This is also a typical level in Japan, a country with one of the lowest rates of sudden cardiac death in the world. On the other hand, an Index of 4% or less (which is common in the US) indicates the highest risk*. At present, there is no reason to suggest that the target should be different for men vs. women, or for different age groups. Whether there is an upper limit of safety for the Index is not clear, but there is likely a value above which there is not likely to be any additional health benefit. Further research will help define this level.

*In this context, “risk” refers only to that associated with differing levels of omega-3 fatty acids. Risks associated with other factors such as cholesterol, blood pressure, diabetes, family history of CHD, smoking, or other cardiac conditions are completely independent of the Omega-3 Index. All risk factors – including the Omega-3 Index—should be addressed as part of any global risk reduction strategy.

Increase your intake of EPA+DHA. The amount you would need to take in order to raise your Omega-3 Index into the target range (>8%) depends in part on your starting level, but it cannot be predicted with certainty as described above. Nevertheless, if your Omega-3 Index is between 4% and 8%, we would recommend that you increase your current EPA+DHA intake by 0.5 -1 gram (500 – 1000 mg) per day. This can be accomplished in two ways: eating more oily fish and/or taking fish oil supplements. On the other hand, if it is less than 4%, our recommendation would be that you raise your intake by 1-3 g (1000 – 3000 mg) per day. Although this can be accomplished by eating more oily fish, fish oil supplements are usually necessary to achieve this level of EPA+DHA intake.

In our experience, to increase the Omega-3 Index by 4%, one would need to increase his/her intake by about 1 g of EPA+DHA per day for roughly 6 months. Alternatively, one could increase by 2 g/d and a 4% increase could be achieved more quickly. In other words, raising the Index is a function of both dose and time.

For private pay individuals submitting a dried blood spot for analysis, once the sample is received at OmegaQuant, the results will be available within 3-5 working days.

Whole blood and RBCs are different starting materials and the EPA+DHA content of each is different, but highly correlated. Based on multiple experiments, we have derived a mathematical equation that converts the DBS EPA+DHA value into the corresponding RBC value (which is the Omega-3 Index). Therefore, the sum of EPA and DHA in the DBS report will usually be slightly different from the Omega-3 Index.

The Omega-3 Index Complete report no longer includes percentile ranks, but instead provides the fatty acid values representing 99% of all samples measured at OmegaQuant over the last 10 years. You can see if you are higher or lower within the range of normal values for each fatty acid. We decided to do away with the percentile ranks because for all the fatty acids except those with set target levels, being higher or lower may not be “good” or “bad” with regards to health– we just don’t know yet. The reference ranges are provided simply to give an idea of how these values compare to a large number of others taken from a relatively healthy population.

The reference ranges are provided simply to give an idea of how these values compare to a large number of others taken from a relatively healthy population. In the case of the dried blood spot assay, the reference range was taken from approximately 75,000 dried blood spots analyzed at OmegaQuant between 2015-2019. No information regarding the state of health of any of these individuals is known. The reference range encompasses 99% of the individuals in their respective populations. Although “average,” these are not necessarily “optimal” levels, i.e., target levels or levels that one should attempt to achieve. The only results for which we feel justified in providing actual targets or optimal levels are the Omega-3 Index, Ratios and Tran Fat Index since these have undergone the most research. As the research in this area matures, we may recommend new “target” values for other fatty acids or ratios when we believe that they have been adequately validated.

As noted above, we provide reference ranges for general information only, not to suggest or guide changes in diet. We do not believe that the research has advanced to the point where we can tell people who have a below (or above) “average” level of any given fatty acid class that they should try to change it. There are several reasons for this. First, since most fatty acid levels in the blood are not influenced by diet but are established by internal genetics and metabolism, even attempting to alter a fatty acid level by dietary change would be largely futile. Secondly, we don’t have the data at present to show that even if one could change fatty acid levels (again, except for the Omega-3 Index and Trans Fat Index), it would benefit them to do so. So, until further research convincingly demonstrates that raising or lowering a certain fatty acid or class is beneficial (or not), we take the approach of simply giving each client the numbers, and they can track them as they wish.

Docosapentaenoic acid (DPA, C22:5n-3) is a long-chain omega-3 fatty acid that is the intermediary between EPA and DHA in the metabolic pathway. Recent studies have demonstrated a relationship between blood levels of DPA and brain, heart, and metabolic health. This begs the question, why is DPA not included in the Omega-3 Index?

In 2002-2003 when Drs. Harris and Von Schacky were “inventing” the concept of the Omega-3 Index, they focused primarily on two studies available at the time: Siscovick DS et al. JAMA, 1995 and Albert CM et al. NEJM, 2002. Both of these studies showed that red blood cell or whole blood omega-3s strongly predicted risk for sudden cardiac death. Siscovick only reported red blood cell EPA+DHA. Albert showed case-control values for EPA, DHA, and DPA, but only EPA and DHA were associated with future events and DPA was not different between cases and controls. Combine that with the very limited knowledge about DPA in those days, it made the most sense to them to focus on EPA+DHA alone. Fast forward 10 years and we are beginning to see some signs that DPA is also predictive certain events. So, should we add it to the Index?

One question is, “How well correlated is the original with the modified Index?” Below are the data from the Framingham Offspring. The modified Index is extremely highly correlated (r=0.98) with the original Index, so adding DPA adds no more information to the original Index. The modified Index is about 2.7% points higher than the original (since that’s what red blood cell DPA typically is).

The other major question is, “Does a modified Omega-3 Index (with DPA) predict events significantly better than the original Index?” This question is harder to answer, but if the two Indexes are that highly correlated, the chances of one metric being significantly better at predicting outcomes (any outcome) than the other are vanishingly small.

With this background, the question becomes, “Is it worth ‘upsetting the apple cart’ to change the numerical cut points for the Omega-3 Index just because some studies are showing DPA to be a predictor on its own?” The upside of adding DPA is that it’s more “intellectually satisfying” to accommodate all the evolving science in biostatus metrics. The downside is that the new cut points would confuse the nascent literature in this field (i.e. “Is that the OLD Index or the NEW one?”), and it would confuse the growing number of practitioners who are managing patients’ Omega-3 Index values in clinical care. We believe the DPA is important scientifically, but that it is not necessary to add to the Omega-3 Index at this time.

Yes, you can return your unused sample collection kit for a refund if the following conditions are met.

Returns

• You have 30 calendar days to return a collection kit from the date you received it.
• To be eligible for a return, your collection kit must be unused and in the same condition that you received it.
• Your collection kit must be in the original packaging.
• You will need to email info@omegaquant.com to provide your receipt, proof of purchase and/or barcode prior to returning the collection kit.

Refunds

• Once we receive your collection kit, we will inspect it and notify you that we have received your returned collection kit. We will immediately notify you on the status of your refund after inspecting the kit.
• If your return is approved, we will initiate a refund to your credit card or original method of payment minus a 20% re-stocking fee.
• You will receive the credit within a certain amount of days, depending on your card issuer’s policies.

Shipping

• You will be responsible for paying for your own shipping costs for returning your collection kit. Shipping costs are nonrefundable.

We do not provide a target range for EPA and DHA separately yet, as we do not have strong data that the individual levels are more predictive than the combined Omega-3 Index for the general population. Typically, DHA is 85% of the Omega-3 Index, unless someone is supplementing with a high-dose EPA product. Being able to see the EPA/DHA make-up of the Omega-3 Index with the Complete report is best used to decipher the ratio of EPA/DHA in their diet or supplements.

Please register here.

The Affiliate Program pays a referral fee back to the Affiliate for referring a customer who makes a purchase. The OmegaQuant Patient Referral Program provides no referral fee back to the referrer. This is a specific program for Health Care Providers to simply pass on a 5% discount code to their patients.

Please login here.

No. There is no cap placed on Affiliate earnings. The more friends, family, followers and clients you refer who go on to make a purchase, the more you earn.

Affiliates are paid on a monthly basis as long as their earnings total $50 or more.

Affiliates are paid via PayPal.

The Settings part of your dashboard will allow you to make changes to your payment email. 

Each time this code is used you receive 10% of each sale. This increases up to 20% per sale based on your monthly referrals & sales.

Included in your Dashboard is a unique 5% coupon code that you can share to provide a discount at checkout on OmegaQuant.com.

The Affiliate URL can be found in the Ways to Refer section in your dashboard, along with your unique 5% coupon code.

There are a several different ways to refer:  

• Sharing your unique code with your followers will get them a 5% discount at checkout 
• Sharing our “Test Menu” and including your coupon code will help followers understand all of our test offerings  
• Using your referral link will ensure that the 10% referral fee is credited to you — referrals are cookied for 30 days so even if they don’t purchase on day one, but come back on day 29, that purchase will be credited to you. 
• Images of our tests will help your potential referrals understand what they are getting from OmegaQuant — remember, purchases increase when shoppers are able to see a product they’re considering buying.

You can access your “Referrals” list here. It will show you how much was purchased, what tests were purchased and the date they purchased. The “Visits” part of the dashboard will show you who has visited OmegaQuant.com using your Affiliate URL. 

You can access your Affiliate Statistics here. This will show you the unpaid referrals, paid referrals, visits, and conversions. If you have created any campaigns, this part of the dashboard will also show you the visits, unique links and conversion rates from those campaigns. The Graphs section of the dashboard will also show you your unpaid referrals, pending referral earnings, rejected referral earnings, and paid referral earnings.  

The URL section of your dashboard allows you to find the URL you want to refer customers to, create a campaign name (for example, Vitamin D campaign), and then generate a URL you can use in your promotions to friends and followers.

We have designed a library of Creatives that will help you promote our tests to your friends and followers. If you would like further education, we highly recommend visiting our blog section and video library (where we have 100+ educational videos). Our Playlists section of the library might be helpful if you are searching for specific topics like Brain Health or Pregnancy and Lactation. 

The Omega-3 Index for Pets measures the amount of the omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA in your pet’s blood, just like the Omega-3 Index for humans. Omega-3 Index levels in dogs are lower than for humans in general. This test is only provides omega-3 status for dogs at this time.

When your pet takes an Omega-3 Index test it will provide a percentage that indicates the combination of EPA and DHA in their blood. For pets like dogs the ideal level is around 3% providing benefits up to 8%. Currently there is not enough data to make recommendations for those pets that are 8% or higher.

Measuring important fats like omega-3s can help dogs maintain a diet that delivers a healthy amount of these nutrients, which they are often lacking. Routine testing and changing the amount of EPA and DHA in their diet should be used to determine the appropriate dose of EPA and DHA needed to maintain an optimal Omega-3 Index.

As a guide, the below chart can be used to guide your dog’s omega-3 intake.

The National Research Council has a suggested supplemental dose of 50-75 mg/kg of bodyweight for dogs. The safe upper limit is set to 2.8 g EPA and DHA per 1000 Calories for dogs.

It will take 3-4 months for your pet’s Omega-3 Index to reach a new level and we recommend re-testing at that time. Once your pet has achieved the desirable level, it is advised that you re-check their values every six to 12 months.

It important that you take this test to your vet and have them administer the blood draw. They have the expertise, staff and tools to carry out this test on your pet. Please do not attempt to take a blood spot from your pet at home.

The most efficient way to raise your dog’s Omega-3 Index is to strategically incorporate more omega-3 EPA and DHA from fish, fortified dog food, or supplements into their diet. Use the dosage chart to find the best dosage for your dog. Please consult with their veterinarian before adding any supplements to your pet’s diet.

Like humans, dogs can’t produce omega-3s on their own. They must get them from their diet. The omega-3s they need — referred to as EPA and DHA — are specifically found in cold water fish like salmon or anchovies, as well as algae. These important nutrients have been shown to benefit their heart, brain, joints and immune system, as well as their skin and coat.

Omega-3 Index for Pets test is $49.95. This includes a collection kit, the envelope and postage to send in your blood spot, as well as a detailed report of your pet’s results. Their results will include their Omega-3 Index.

Once you have the vet administer the blood draw and spot the sample collection card, you can place it in the return mail envelop that came with your kit and put it in the mail. Once the sample is received at OmegaQuant the results will be available within 3-5 business days.

The prenatal DHA test measures the omega-3 fatty acid known as docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) during pregnancy. Omega-3s have been associated with several important health outcomes for mom and baby. But recent evidence shows that higher levels of the omega-3 DHA during pregnancy is strongly associated with a lower risk of premature birth.

Here is a helpful blog post.

Here is a helpful video.

There are several nutrients that are important during pregnancy vs. other times of life. These include nutrients like folic acid, choline and omega-3 DHA. DHA is important for many things such as the baby’s development. But more recent studies have shown a strong connection between DHA blood levels and woman’s risk of premature birth. Having a certain amount of DHA in the blood lowers the risk of early preterm (before 34 weeks) and preterm birth (before 37 weeks) by 42% and 11%, respectively. 

Here is a helpful blog post.

Here is a helpful video.

In a research paper authored by OmegaQuant’s Dr. Kristina Harris Jackson, there was a focus on two main studies. One looked at blood levels of women who had a full term pregnancy or those who had early preterm birth (giving birth before 34 weeks). In this study, they found that those who had higher omega-3s in their blood had a lower risk of being an early preterm birth case. At around 5% DHA in the blood you start to see that risk decrease and continue to lessen with an increase in blood DHA level. On the other hand, below 5% there is an extremely steep risk curve for early preterm birth. For example, those with a 3% DHA level were 10x more likely to have a preterm birth than those above 5%. So being 5% and above is the main goal. Getting women who are low and above 5% could help them avoid premature birth. Another important study Dr. Jackson and her colleagues looked at in establishing the rationale for the Prenatal DHA Test was a meta-analysis of 70 studies in pregnancy where one group was given a fish oil during pregnancy and the other a placebo. When all of these studies were pooled together, they found a very strong effect on preterm and early preterm birth risk. Those taking fish oil had a reduced risk of 11% and 42% for preterm and early preterm birth, respectively. They also found that taking fish oil — even at high doses — was safe for mom and baby during pregnancy. Both of these studies together supported the need for having a simple, safe blood test for measuring DHA. This way women could know what that level is and adjust safely as needed to lower their risk for preterm birth. 

Here is a helpful blog post.

Here is a helpful video.

It’s easy and safe to raise your omega-3 DHA level during pregnancy. We know that eating fish during pregnancy is a tricky topic, but there is a lot of research showing that the benefits outweigh the risks. It is important to be careful and to understand what kinds of fish are high in EPA and DHA but also low in mercury and other toxins. The other option is to take supplements, which are safe and non-toxic. Supplements will also give you a better idea how much DHA you are actually taking. If you want to make sure you are getting at least 200 mg of DHA a day, then a supplement is a good option. 

Here is a helpful blog post.

Here is a helpful video.

The general recommendation for DHA during pregnancy is 200 mg per day on top of your current diet, which some estimate delivers about 100 mg DHA per day – for a total of 300 mg per day. While the American Academy Obstetricians & Gynecologists does not have an official recommendation, organizations like the March of dimes support the 200 mg a day recommendation, along with many other medical and scientific bodies across the world. Whether or not 200 mg a day is enough is the big question. For us at OmegaQuant, it comes down to the blood level. One side of the equation is that most women are not getting to 100 mg per day, much less getting 200 or 300 mg per day during pregnancy. According to the latest research, most women of childbearing age are getting about 60 mg of DHA a day and less than 1 in 10 takes an omega-3 supplement. In that case, we would not expect their level to be above 5%. So if most women are not meeting even the bare minimum recommendations, it is hard to know whether or not we need to increase the recommendation to 600 mg a day vs. making sure women get to the 200 mg recommendation.

Here is a helpful blog post.

Here is a helpful video.

The other important piece of the puzzle is personalization, which is where DHA testing plays a very important role in optimizing intake. If someone has a DHA level less than 5%, then we would recommend they take more than someone who is above 5%. So, for example, if you are below 3%, then we would recommend 900 mg DHA per day throughout pregnancy. If you are between 3-5% (which many women are), then we would recommend 600 mg DHA per day. If you are above 5%, then it makes senses to maintain an intake of 200 mg DHA per day. These recommendations are well within doses that have been studied and shown to be safe for mom and baby. If you make any changes, make sure to re-test your Prenatal DHA level in 2-3 months to see how it has improved.

Here is a helpful blog post.

Here is a helpful video.

There is plenty of evidence to show that eating fish is a healthy way to get your omega-3s during pregnancy. However, for some of you there is no amount of data that is going to change your mind when it comes to your comfort level about the risks of eating fish. And also, you just might not have a taste for it. In that case, it is strongly recommended that you take an omega-3 supplement like fish oil and make sure that it has at least 200 mg of DHA. Whether or not this will increase your blood level is hard to know without testing, so we recommend, if possible, that women who are pregnant or looking to become pregnant take a prenatal DHA test before they get pregnant and then again during the first, second and third trimesters. 

Here is a helpful blog post.

Here is a helpful video.

When you get your Prenatal DHA results report your level will be marked by an arrow. If you are below 5% you will be in the yellow or red zone. If you are 5% or above, then you will land in the green zone, which is ideally where you want to be. The goal is to know where you are and then re-test after a few months to see if the changes you’ve made have impacted your DHA level, especially if you are below 5%.

Here is sample report.

Here is a helpful video.

TIP #1 – MAKE SURE YOUR SUPPLEMENT CONTAINS “DHA” OR “DOCOSAHEXAENOIC ACID”

When you are looking for a supplement, look at the “Supplement Facts” panel on the back of the supplement bottle to check the amount of DHA. Make a note of the serving size, which is located at the top of the Supplement Facts panel. Look specifically for either “DHA” or “docosahexaenoic acid” to see how much, based on serving size you are getting for your supplement. So if it says a serving size is two capsules and you are getting 200 mg, then you would need 2 pills per day to reach 200 mg. There are hundreds of omega-3 supplements out there, but the key is making sure you choose the ones that have the long-chain omega-3s, EPA and DHA. If DHA is not listed on the label, then you are not getting this omega-3 in your supplement. You can also choose a traditional omega-3 fish oil supplement, which contains both EPA and DHA as long as you are able to meet the need of 200 mg per day DHA. DHA can come from algae, which is what the fish eat to make it themselves. Suffice it to say that you can choose either a pure algal DHA supplement or a fish oil supplement that contains EPA and DHA. The main thing is to make sure you are getting at least 200 mg per day. 

Here is a helpful video.

TIP #2 – ALWAYS  TAKE YOUR OMEGA-3 OR DHA SUPPLEMENT WITH A MEAL

Make sure you take your Omega-3 Supplement with a meal. DHA is a fat and you want your body to be ready to absorb it because it is a very special kind of fat. If you don’t take it with a meal, then you won’t be able to fully absorb the DHA and as a result your blood level might not change. It is also important to test your level to make sure the supplement you’ve chosen is working for you.

Here is a helpful video.

TIP #3 – THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF FORMULATIONS

There are so many different kinds of omega-3 supplement formulations — triglycerides, emulsions, ethyl esters, phospholipids. And all of these play a role in how bioavailable the fat is to your body. One way to make sure the omega-3 fat you are taking is bioavailable to your body is to eat a meal with fat, so that the omega-3 fats you are taking in your supplement can be absorbed. We don’t have an opinion on the different formulations. There are some small differences in the way these types of formulations are absorbed. But at the end of the day, the amount of DHA you are taking in is by far the most important aspect of how much your DHA blood level will go up.  

Here is a helpful video.

When you do change your diet based on your test results, it is important to re-test to make sure  the changes you made actually impacted your blood level. We recommend re-testing every 2-3 months during pregnancy. In many of the studies we’ve seen where women only started supplementing in their second trimester, it was still enough to have an impact on gestational length and preterm birth. So even if you didn’t take DHA in the first trimester, it’s not too late to start taking it even into the third trimester. It all counts!

Here is a helpful video.

It is important to take omega-3 DHA during the last trimester because that is when most of the fat transfer to the baby happens. This is when the baby’s brain really starts to grow and develop. In fact, the baby’s brain and eyes will continue their development well up to 2 years of age and DHA will play a crucial role.

Here is a helpful video.

nother good reason to take DHA during pregnancy is that your breast milk DHA levels will also continue to increase. DHA levels will drop off to meet whatever dietary intake is but for about 4-6 weeks of DHA will transfer to breast milk from women who take fish oil and have higher DHA levels during pregnancy. Breast milk DHA levels can also be measured using our Mother’s Milk DHA test.

Here is a helpful video.

You can measure DHA in your breast milk by using our Mother’s Milk DHA Test. DHA levels are known to go down in the blood after pregnancy because of the recovery from birth and pregnancy, as well as the fact that DHA goes into your breast milk. DHA is important postpartum to restore your blood levels and also to make sure that you are delivering an optimal amount through your breast milk to your growing baby.

Here is a helpful video.

If you are vegetarian and you don’t want to eat fish or take fish oil, DHA that comes from algae might be a good option for you. This is one of the only plant-based options that is vegan, non-toxic and will raise your blood and breast milk DHA levels. There are other plant-based omega-3 sources like flax, walnuts and chia but they contain an omega-3 called alpha linolenic acid (ALA), which is healthy but it won’t raise your omega-3 DHA levels in blood and breast milk. So during pregnancy and postpartum it is important to take preformed DHA in an algal supplement if you are vegetarian.

Here is a helpful video.

If you ordered a test online on your own you should share this with your doctor, especially if you plan to make any dietary changes or take supplements during your pregnancy. Fish is a very low risk intervention as are supplements, however, it is always important to check with your doctor so they are aware what changes you are making. And who knows, you just might teach them something about DHA and pregnancy.

Here is a helpful video.

A. It differs in several ways.

First, the sample types we typically use (red blood cells or dried blood spots versus whole plasma or plasma phospholipids). Each of these sample types has a unique fatty acid profile, so you cannot compare the EPA+DHA level in RBCs to the EPA+DHA level in plasma, or in plasma phospholipids – the numbers will be quite different, even from the same lab. So regardless of which lab you choose to work with, you should always order the same type of test if you want to be able to track trends in the same patient over time. We focus on RBC and whole blood (dried blood spot) analyses because from either one we can provide the Omega-3 Index. These metrics provide the best reflection of tissue omega-3 fatty acid status. In addition, there is considerably more day-to-day variation in the plasma tests than in the RBC – (or whole blood) – based tests, and an acute load of omega-3 fatty acids (from fish or capsules) will significantly perturb the plasma-based markers but not the RBCs. Nevertheless, for research purposes, OmegaQuant can and does analyze any sample type based on the client’s needs and sample types available.

B. The uniqueness of the specific method we use

Second, even if you order the RBC-based assay from two different labs, there is no guarantee that you’ll get the same answer. That’s a big problem. The reason is that, unlike serum cholesterol or glucose or calcium, there is no standardized method (i.e., internationally recognized gold standard) to which all labs must peg their assays. There is no standard test material to which all labs are required to conform. So your EPA+DHA, for example, might be 6.7% in Lab A and 5.2% in Lab B. Which one is “right?” We don’t know what “right” is because there is no formal standard. However, obtaining the Omega-3 Index from OmegaQuant guarantees you a metric that has been accepted in over 100 research publications over the last 9 years, making it the most published of all the commercially-available methods. A significant advantage of the Omega-3 Index test is the ability to correlate it to clinical outcomes from major epidemiological and interventions studies (see below for “Research behind the test”)

C. The number of fatty acids reported in the profile

In addition to the Omega-3 Index, we also provide, at no additional charge, a complete fatty acid profile including 4 omega-3 fatty acids, 7 omega-6 fatty acids, 4 monounsaturated fatty acids, 6 saturated fatty acids, 3 groups of trans fatty acids, 5 composites (group sums), and 2 ratios (see below). Other ratios or groups of fatty acids can be calculated from these. But beyond these 26 fatty acids, there are still others (very minor components) that can be detected in both RBCs and in whole blood, and some labs will report these as well. It is our view at OmegaQuant that it is possible to provide too much information, and hence we draw the line at these 26, and in many respects, even this is more than can practically be addressed. We provide them as a courtesy to those clients who want to know. Sometimes “less is more” and we believe that applies here. Having said that, we are happy to modify our standard protocol for investigators interested in more obscure fatty acids that are not routinely measured (e.g., odd chain fatty acids).

D. The ratios included in the profile

As noted above, we provide two fatty acid ratios: the omega-6/omega-3 and AA/EPA. Although we include these values, we believe that the Omega-3 Index is, by far, the single most important (and actionable) component of our report. These ratios are provided as a courtesy and because some practitioners find them useful. We would suggest that for the dried blood spot assay, the omega-6/omega-3 ratio that would correspond to an Omega-3 Index of >8% would be 3.5 or less, and for the AA/EPA ratio, the target should be 9 or less. For the red blood cell assay, the target omega-6/omega-3 ratio should be 2.6 or less, and the AA/EPA ratio should be 15 or less.

E. The use of “reference” or “normal” ranges

Included with each the 5 classes of fatty acids are “reference ranges.” The reference range is provided simply to give an idea of how these values compared to a large number of others taken from a relatively healthy population. In the case of the RBC assay, the reference range was taken from approximately 11,000 individuals whose samples were submitted to the laboratory for analysis. In the case of the dried blood spot assay, the reference range was taken from approximately 27,000 individuals. No information regarding the state of health of any of these individuals is known. In both cases, the reference range encompasses 99% of the individuals in their respective populations. Although “average,” these are not necessarily “optimal” levels, i.e., target levels or levels that one should to attempt to achieve. The only result for which we feel justified in providing an actual target or optimal level is the Omega-3 Index since it has undergone the most research. As the research in this area matures, we may recommend new “target” values for other fatty acids or ratios when we believe that they have been adequately validated.

F. The provision of dietary recommendations to correct deviations from “normal”

As noted above, we provide reference ranges for general information only, not to suggest or guide changes in diet. We do not believe that the research has advanced to the point where we can tell people who have a below (or above) “average” level of any given fatty acid class that they should try to change it. There are several reasons for this. First, since most fatty acid levels in the blood are not influenced by diet but are established by internal genetics and metabolism, even attempting to alter a fatty acid level by dietary change would be largely futile. Secondly, we don’t have the data at present to show that even if one could change fatty acid levels (again, except for the Omega-3 Index and trans fatty acids), it would benefit them to do so. So until further research convincingly demonstrates that raising or lowering a certain fatty acid or class is beneficial or not, we will take the conservative approach of simply giving each client the numbers, and they can track them as they wish.

Clearly, we are very comfortable with recommending specific targets for the Omega-3 Index because the research supporting a target of 8% is strong, and we know that you can specifically raise the Index by eating more omega-3. We don’t, however, know exactly how much EPA+DHA any particular person should be told to take to achieve the 8% target. People differ, and so each person’s response to supplemental omega-3s will vary. Just like one cannot predict how much serum cholesterol will go down when a patient is placed on statins, we cannot accurately predict how the Omega-3 Index will respond to an increased intake; it must be individually tested. (See Question 2).

G. The research behind the test

Dr. Harris has been doing research in omega-3s for 30 years, and has over 80 published research papers in this field. In 2004, he, along with his colleague Clemens von Schacky, MD, a cardiologist from Munich, was the first to propose the Omega-3 Index as an independent risk factor for heart disease. More importantly, currently Dr. Harris is the Principal Investigator for and is using the Omega-3 Index test in two major epidemiological studies, both funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH): the Framingham Heart Study and the Women’s Health Initiative’s Memory Study. In addition, he will be doing the blood analyses in the “VITAL” study which will be testing the effects of omega-3 fatty acid and/or vitamin D on CHD and cancer incidence in 20,000 subjects. Dr. Harris has used the same method in at least 8 additional clinical studies being funded by the NIH.

H. The clinical applicability of the test

Because of the research foundation supporting the Omega-3 Index, its clinical utility will continue to grow and mature as the results of these new studies are published. Health care providers and consumers alike want their results to be comparable to those published in the mainstream medical literature. If high or low risk for disease “X” is defined by a particular Omega-3 Index value as derived from these research studies, then only by using this specific test can you be sure that your level of risk is accurately predicted; a value from another lab may or may not give you a clinically-useful estimate of risk. It is for these reasons that the Cooper Aerobics Center (Dallas, TX) selected OmegaQuant as their sole provider for fatty acid testing.

Yes, we follow Good Laboratory Practices. All of our assays are validated. In particular for plasma/serum total and free (i.e., unbound) concentrations of EPA, DHA, DPA and ARA have been validated per the Guidance for Industry: Bioanalytical Method Evaluation (FDA; May, 2001). These assays (and our red blood cell fatty acid assay) have been and are currently being used in new drug development studies with pharmaceutical sponsors.

Any biological sample that contains fatty acids. Typically we are asked to analyze human plasma or erythrocytes, but we have experience with whole blood, plasma lipid classes (TG, CE, PL, NEFA), lipoproteins (VLDL, LDL, HDL), lipoprotein lipid classes, tissues (biopsies or from animals), tears, fish, and fish oil capsules.

It depends on the sample type, but our typical assays require < 25 uL of plasma or blood or RBCs, or about 25 mg of tissues. We prefer to receive aliquots of at least 200 uL for liquid samples. If dried spots are preferred, 25 uL of whole blood or of RBCs mixed 50:50 with Erythrosolve™ (which we will provide) is sufficient. These would be spotted and sent on cards that we have pre-treated with our proprietary anti-oxidant OxyStop®.

Whole blood, packed RBCs, and dried blood spots are remarkably resistant to degradation and can typically be shipped overnight at ambient temperature. If samples are being collected at a research site for later batch shipment, they should be frozen at -80°C and shipped on dry ice. Note: RBC samples should not be kept at -20°C for more than 1 day as the long-chain PUFAs will begin to degrade. Storage at room temperature or 4°C for up to 3 weeks (before analysis) is acceptable.

This depends on your research question. For example, if a study is examining the short term (1 day to 2-4 weeks) effects of fish oil supplementation on omega-3 status, then plasma is the preferred analytical sample type; if longer term studies are contemplated (>1 month, optimally >4 months), then RBCs provide a more robust picture of status. Platelets turn over in about 10 days, RBCs in 120. Hence, short term studies can use platelets to track fatty acid compositional changes as well as plasma.

Typically in an Excel spreadsheet. Below are some sample research reports as examples.

Sample Report 1: Plasma Fatty Acid Concentrations

Sample Report 2: Percent Fatty Acid Composition

Yes, we provide this service.

Yes. This is one of the advantages of working with OmegaQuant. Dr. Harris has over 30 years of research experience with fatty acids, and has published more than 300 papers in this field. He is happy to serve as a coauthor on scientific publications, or to simply provide advice and perspective on the findings for no additional charge.

• The Omega-3 Index report you received shows you the percentage of EPA and DHA in your red blood cell membranes. Your levels are indicative of the amount of omega-3s in your diet and how much your body is using. An Omega-3 Index range between 8-12% is considered the desirable range.
• Here is a helpful video that explains in more detail what your Omega-3 Index results mean.

• Short answer: We don’t like to talk about the issue of dose without knowing your Omega-3 Index score first. If you received your Omega-3 Index results, you can try and calculate your dose here.
• Here is a blog we wrote about how you can get to the optimal range of the Omega-3 Index.
• Here is a helpful video about how to change your Omega-3 Index. But remember, the only way to truly know if you are getting enough of the right omega-3s is to test your level.

• We believe, if possible, that you should try and get your omega-3s from fish first. Some good choices are salmon, tuna and herring. Here is an infographic that lists how much EPA and DHA there is in certain fish. If fish is not an option for you, then we suggest taking an omega-3 supplement that contains EPA and DHA. If you choose to take a supplement, make sure you can locate these two omega-3s on the label, so you can add them up to see how much you are getting.
• Here is a helpful video about food and supplement sources of EPA and DHA.

• The AA/EPA ratio is your level of arachidonic acid (AA), an omega-6 fatty acid, vs. eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), an omega-3 fatty acid. These are important fatty acids in metabolism because eicosanoids and prostaglandins can be made from them. These molecules are very potent in the body in causing a lot of changes. Having different levels of these two fatty acids could affect processes that ultimately impact inflammation and overall health. We recommend optimizing the omega-3 side of the equation, which inevitably means increasing your Omega-3 Index and getting into the optimal range.
• Here is a blog we wrote about the AA/EPA ratio.
• Here is a helpful video that describes the AA/EPA ratio.

• The Omega-6/Omega-3 ratio (also written “n-6/n-3”) report provides analysis for 7 omega-6 fatty acids and 4 omega-3 fatty acids. This analysis is performed from your whole blood as opposed to red blood cell membranes like the Omega-3 Index. The total amount of omega-6s and omega-3s are divided by each other to get a ratio. We recommend a ratio of 3-5:1 (omega-6:omega-3). It will be displayed in the little blue circles and then on the scale in your report.
• Here is a blog post we wrote about the omega-6/omega-3 ratio.
• Here is a helpful video about the omega-6/omega-3 ratio.

• We at OmegaQuant are aware that there people generally consider omega-3s to be good and omega-6 to be bad. However, we think this may be too simplistic, even if biologically omega-6s and 3s are pro- and anti-inflammatory, respectively. Still, we have seen research showing that higher levels of linoleic acid, which is an omega-6 fatty acid, are linked to better outcomes in terms of cardiovascular health and diabetes. So rather than focus on lowering your omega-6s, we believe increasing your omega-3s will automatically balance out this ratio and is something that is more actionable for most people.
• Here is a helpful video that explains why you need both omega-3 and omega-6.

• The Omega-3 Index is a very unique and complex test and any lab attempting to do it needs have serious expertise in the methodologies that are involved. There are 6 seemingly mundane steps that make all the difference in a final Omega-3 Index score. Any changes in those steps from another lab will impact a result. Because OmegaQuant’s Omega-3 Index has been used in more than 200 studies, its test has been standardized over time, which means you can trust your Omega-3 Index score.
• Here is a blog post we wrote about how the Omega-3 Index from OmegaQuant is different from other labs doing omega-3 testing.
• Here is a helpful video about how the Omega-3 Index test is unique.

• The Omega-3 Index target range of 8-12% is important, but it doesn’t mean that anything below that is completely unhealthy, especially for those who might be at 6-7%. The research has shown that people in the 8-12% range tend to have better health outcomes in relation to the heart, brain and eyes. Below 4% is associated with the most negative health outcomes. Going from 4% to 8% is a great goal for anyone worried about general wellness. If you are not quite at 8% yet, you’re still making great progress.
• Here is a helpful video that explains your level in more detail.

• We talk a lot about low Omega-3 Index levels but we don’t talk about very high Omega-3 Index levels. First of all, having an Omega-3 index over 12% is very rare. About 3% of the individuals we’ve tested over the years had levels over 12%. We don’t have evidence that being over 12% is harmful but we also don’t have evidence to suggest that being over 12% offers extra benefits.
• Here is a helpful video that explains what having a high Omega-3 Index level means for your health.

• If fish is not part of your diet for whatever reason you can still get your Omega-3s EPA and DHA from algal supplements. It is much more effective in raising your Omega-3 Index as opposed to other plant sources like flax and chia, which contain a totally different omega-3 called ALA.
• Here is a helpful video for vegans/vegetarians who are looking to raise their Omega-3 Index to the desirable range.

• Another fatty acid that we at OmegaQuant find interesting is palmitic acid, which is a saturated fat. It is found in palm oil and is very common in the diet. What’s interesting is that if you eat a lot of palm oil or saturated fat, your levels won’t increase; it’s more likely to be affected by eating too much carbohydrate-rich food. Palmitic acid doesn’t have the same relationship in the body to diet that omega-3s do.
• Here is a helpful video that explains why we find palmitic acid levels interesting and useful.

• Saturated fatty acids in your red blood cell membranes are not related to the saturated fat you consume in your diet. Typically, saturated fat in your diet raises blood cholesterol levels. Our tests look at specific patterns of fatty acids and not the specific amount of cholesterol in your bloodstream. So when you receive your Omega-3 Index Complete report and you notice your saturated fatty acid level is high, please keep in mind that this has no relation to your cholesterol level.
• Here is a helpful video that explains why this is important.

• Linoleic acid is the parent essential omega-6 fatty acid found in oils like sunflower oil and in nuts and seeds. We have seen research showing that higher blood levels of linoleic acid are linked to better outcomes in terms of cardiovascular health and diabetes. Some other research suggests that higher linoleic acid intake or blood levels is bad for health. Whether linoleic acid levels are too high in the diet and/or blood in the general public is an area of scientific controversy.
• Here is a helpful video that explains the relevance of linoleic acid to your health.

Trans fats are unsaturated fats (i.e., fats with 1 or more double bonds) in which at least 1 of the double bonds is in the trans (instead of the more natural cis) configuration (see diagram below). Trans fats can occur naturally at fairly low levels in some meat and milk products, but most of the trans fats that Americans consume are industrially produced. That is, they are produced from liquid vegetable oils by the process of “hydrogenation”, which results in the creation of solid fats like shortening, margarine, etc.

Examples of cis and trans-configured unsaturated fatty acids. Elaidic acid is the most common trans fatty acid in our food supply. Image from Mozaffarian D, et al. 2006, New England Journal of Medicine (click here for abstract).

Food industry began to produce margarines (which include trans fats) as a replacement for butter because the latter had been declared a health hazard due to its high saturated fat content. Industry needed an alternative for their frying and baking needs. Adding hydrogen to unsaturated oils created a semi-solid, trans fat product, e.g. Crisco, that was shelf-stable and made flakey baked goods and crispy fried chicken. Unfortunately, trans fats turned out to be worse than butter with regards to heart disease risk (See “Why are trans fats bad for my heart?”). Now there is an effort to replace trans fats with alternatives, such as palm oil and, you guessed it, butter. The pendulum swings.

Processed foods, such stick margarine, baked goods, deep-fried fast foods, crackers and other pre-packaged snack foods, are our primary sources of industrially-produced trans fats. However, many of these types of foods are constantly being reformulated to reduce trans fat levels (See “What is being done to lower the trans fat content in foods?”).

Trans fats increase the risk for heart disease through negative effects on cardiovascular risk factors which leads to an increased risk for heart attacks. Trans fats cause an increase in the “bad” (LDL) cholesterol, a reduction in the “good” (HDL) cholesterol, and worsens the total cholesterol:HDL-cholesterol ratio compared to cis-unsaturated and saturated fats. Inflammatory makers, such as C-reactive protein and interleukin-6, were elevated in obese women with higher vs. lower intakes of trans fats. Endothelial function (blood vessel health) was worsened in clinical trials when subjects consumed trans fats in the place of monounsaturated fats or carbohydrates.

Higher trans fat levels in red blood cells was associated with a 47% increased risk for sudden cardiac death in a case-control study. Some studies also show an increased risk of diabetes in women who consumed more trans fats, but this is not as consistent as the heart disease data. It is estimated that eliminating trans fat from the food supply would avert between 6-19% of heart disease-related deaths per year, totaling up to 228,000 deaths.

This information is sourced from the article, “Trans Fatty Acids and Cardiovascular Disease,” published in The New England Journal of Medicine in 2006 by Dr. Dariush Mozaffarian et al. 2006. Please click here for access to the abstract of the paper.

Trans fats are an excellent product for baking and frying, but they are being removed from the food supply due to the discovery of their effect on heart disease risk. Indeed, the Food and Drug Administration removed the GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe) status from trans fats in 2013, meaning that food processors must get permission to use trans fats in their foods. Many food processers have been removing and replacing trans fats from their products for years. The following graph shows the progress that has been made in lowering trans fat levels in foods with traditionally high levels. US consumers can expect these levels to drop further once the FDA ruling comes into effect.

Average trans fatty acid (TFA) content from 2007 through 2011 of brand-name US supermarket food products that contained ≥0.5 g/serving trans fatty acids in 2007, by food categories. Data were not collected in 2009. All products listing 0 g trans fatty acids but still containing partially hydrogenated oils in the ingredients list were considered to still contain 0.25 g per serving of trans fatty acids. Image from Otite FO, et al. 2013, Prev Chronic Disease. To access the complete article, please click here.

The Nutrition Facts Panel on packaged foods lists the amount of trans fats per serving. If a serving of the food has less than 0.5 g of trans fat, then the manufacturer can list it as “0.” Non-packaged foods like bulk grains, cereals, candies; store-packaged meat; fresh fruits and vegetables do not have a Nutrition label and thus any trans fats in those foods will not be listed. The vast majority of trans fats in the US diet are found in packaged foods. The Nutrition Facts Panel example given here is the updated version, proposed by the FDA in 2014. Click here for more information.

The cut points were derived from a combination of two sets of data. First, based on over 27,000 samples analyzed at OmegaQuant Analytics over the last few years, we have an idea of the distribution of the Trans Fat Index in the US population. Second, we used published data from Sun et al. (Circulation 2007;115:1858-1865) in the Nurses’ Health Study. These researchers measured levels of industrially-produced trans fats in red blood cell membranes and related those levels to risk for cardiovascular events. They found a statistically significant, direct relationship between the Trans Fat Index and heart disease – higher levels were associated with higher risk. Those women in the highest 25% of the population (4^th quartile) were 2.8x as likely to have a cardiac event as women in the lowest quartile.

Based on these two data sets, we chose the lowest quartile in the Sun paper (1.0%) as the upper limit of the Desirable level, and we chose the highest quartile (1.65%) as the beginning of the lower limit of the Undesirable category. Individuals between 1% and 1.65% would be considered in the Intermediate zone. In the 27,000 sample data set from OmegaQuant, only about 13% of the population had a Desirable Trans Fat Index; 65% of the population had an Intermediate score; and 22% of the population was in the Undesirable range.

Since we still need more data to really know what the “healthiest” level of trans fats would be, it is more important for the consumer to see a decrease in his/her Trans Fat Index after making healthier dietary choices than for the consumer to be in a specific risk group. In other words, lowering the Trans Fat Index from whatever level it is at the start shows good progress and would be expected to lower heart disease risk.

MMA can be measured in blood, but can also be measured in the urine, as long as we take into account how well the kidneys are working. We do this by measuring a substance called creatinine that is filtered into the urine by the kidneys. When we compare the urinary MMA to urinary creatinine, it improves the accuracy of the MMA test in urine when compared to blood, because it is not affected by mild to moderate decrease in kidney function.

The uMMA test results are reported in specific units. The units are mmol MMA/mol cr. Normal vitamin B12 status is indicated when the result is below 3.6 mmol MMA/mol cr, but new research shows that an optimal level is below 2.0 mmol MMA/mol cr. A result above 3.6 mmol MMA/mol cr indicates a possible B12 deficiency. More testing is often needed to confirm true deficiency, so please consult with your healthcare provider if you get this result.

Doctors typically do measure vitamin B12 levels, and some may measure blood MMA levels. However, the urinary test for MMA is not used as much because it’s less common and may be more expensive.

Short answer. Yes, take a sample of your first pee of the day. This helps reduce any “noise” in the sample.

As with all nutrients, our bodies need vitamin D from the environment (through food or sunlight in this case) to function properly. Vitamin D has a particularly important role in bone health by helping with calcium absorption. This is a very clear relationship as its classic deficiency symptoms are diseases of “soft bones” – rickets in children and osteoporosis and fractures in adults (Bilke DD, 2014). However, with the discovery of vitamin D receptors in virtually every type of cell in the body (Pludowski et al. 2018), we have found that vitamin D affects many other parts of the body, like the immune system (Ginde 2009) and the cardiovascular system (Michaelsson et al. 2010). This combination of health benefits may be why several studies have found that those with higher vitamin D blood levels live better for longer (Garland et al. 2014). So, we need vitamin D to build and keep our bones strong, but also to help the rest of our body work like it should.

Vitamin D3 is the primary raw material to make active and usable vitamin D. It is produced when the body is exposed to sunlight (ultraviolet B radiation sunlight). Our bodies are amazingly efficient when it comes to producing vitamin D3; brief sunlight exposure of the arms and face will enable our body to produce 200 international units (IU) of vitamin D3. The precise amount of vitamin D3 produced will vary depending on factors such as skin type, geographical location, season, and time of the day. Vitamin D can also come from our diet but there are very few foods in nature that contain it. The best sources of Vitamin D in nature are fatty fish like salmon, tuna, mackerel, as well as cheese, mushrooms, apples, egg yolks, sardines and fortified foods. Finally, supplements are a potent source of Vitamin D and raise blood levels effectively.

It depends! At OmegaQuant we recommend aiming for a Vitamin D blood level >30 ng/mL, but that can be achieved in several ways. Some people may be able to reach this level through exposure to the sun, while some may achieve it through a high-fish diet and fortified foods, and others may take a supplement. Still, most will need a combination of two or three of these. If you go the supplement route, the US Institute of Medicine recommends taking no more than 4000 IU per day on average, but, beyond that, how much supplemental vitamin D you should take depends on your blood level.

The best way to know what you need to do to maintain a desirable blood level of vitamin D is to test regularly and change your habits accordingly. There is a seasonal variability in blood levels depending on your latitude, so your levels could drop during the darkest part of the year and you might want to supplement during that time. On the other hand, during the summer you might get enough through vitamin D through sun exposure and not need any supplemental vitamin D.

There is not yet an agreed upon “optimal” Vitamin D level in the scientific community. This mostly comes from a disagreement on “deficiency” (Taylor C, et al. 2018) vs “optimal” blood levels (Holick MF. 2017) and what endpoint is being considered, i.e. bone health vs. infection risk. At OmegaQuant, we recommend aiming for a level of at least 30 ng/mL. The evidence for the 30 ng/mL cut off is demonstrated by Garland et al. 2014 where the hazard ratio for mortality plateaus around 30 ng/mL, by Michaelsson et al. 2010 where the lowest risk for death from all-causes, cancer and cardiovascular disease is at 30 ng/mL, by Ginde et al. 2009 where those with levels >30 ng/mL have the lowest risk of upper respiratory tract infections, and by Miliku et al. 2016 where pregnant women with levels >30 ng/mL were at the lowest risk of preterm birth, as well as babies born with low birth weight and small for gestational age. This seems like an excellent target level for several different populations and health states.

You may notice that none of these outcomes are related to bone health (rickets in kids and osteoporosis/hip fracture risk in adults), the primary health outcome related to a deficiency in Vitamin D. For this endpoint, according to the Institute of Medicine, a serum level of >20 ng/mL is considered sufficient and <12.5 ng/mL is deficient. From OmegaQuant’s perspective, optimal vitamin D levels are considered more from a “whole health” perspective rather than specific to bone health, thus the higher target of at least 30 ng/mL.

You can take a Vitamin D test at any time. This test is a long-term stable view of your Vitamin D intake and will not be affected by any short-term dietary or supplementary changes. A test will simply tell you if your diet is delivering enough Vitamin D to maintain an optimal level.

The cost of a Vitamin D test is $49.95. This includes a collection kit, the envelope and postage to send in your blood spot, and a detailed report of your results. Your results will include your Vitamin D level along with suggestions of how to get to an optimal level.

Yes! Even those who live in sunnier climates and/or take Vitamin D still might be falling short, because there are so many individual factors that can affect your blood level. The only way to truly know if your diet or environment is delivering what you need is to take a test.

The “blood” level of vitamin D that we present is equal to the concentration of total vitamin D level in plasma or serum. It is measured from a dried blood spot using an LC/MS method, which is a gold standard technique. We have validated our method of measuring plasma vitamin D levels from a dried blood spot against levels in liquid plasma.

The reference range is provided simply to give an idea of how these values compare to a large number of others taken from a relatively healthy population. The reference range of 20-80 ng/mL refers to the range of blood vitamin D levels from a normal population. When we at OmegaQuant have more of our own vitamin D data, we will create our own reference range encompassing the values from 99% of individuals that we test. Currently, we are utilizing the reference range from another dried blood spot testing lab.

The desirable range of 30-50 ng/mL is a “goldilocks” range where we believe most of the health benefit has been realized (as compared to having low levels) and there doesn’t seem to be much extra benefit in having higher levels. Many research studies show that >30 ng/mL is predictive of a lot of good health outcomes (see list below), so we consider it a therapeutic threshold.

1. Lower risk of overall mortality: People with a blood level of 30 ng/mL and above had a lower risk of mortality (Garland et al. 2014).
2. Lower risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and cancer mortality: Lowest risk for death from all-causes, cancer and CVD in individuals with a vitamin D blood level of at least 30 ng/mL (Michaelsson et al. 2010).
3. Lower risk for respiratory tract infections: Those with vitamin D blood levels at or above 30 ng/mL had the lowest risk of upper respiratory tract infections (Ginde et al. 2009).
4. Lower risk of hip fractures and falls: Older individuals who achieved a vitamin D blood level of at least 30 ng/mL had a reduced risk of hip fractures (Bischoff-Ferrari et al 2009).
5. Lower risk of preterm birth: Pregnant women with levels of at least 30 ng/mL were at the lowest risk of preterm birth, as well as babies born with low birth weight and small for gestational age (Miliku et al. 2016).

The other important thing to consider is what it takes to have very high vitamin D blood levels. For example, a vitamin D blood level of 70 ng/mL may impart more health benefits than a level of 30 ng/mL, but the supplemental dosage required to reach those levels could be very high. On average, for someone with low levels to reach 30 ng/mL, one needs at least 1000-2000 IU/day, and the upper limit is currently set at 4000 IU/day.

These are our recommendations, but we always advise you to consult with your doctor before making any dietary changes, especially if it includes taking high doses of a vitamin D supplement. Many other organizations have their own targets and rationales (Institute of Medicine, Endocrine Society), and you are free to use our Vitamin D test to track your progress towards their recommended target ranges if you wish.