How To Biohack Your Omega-3 Levels And Optimize Your Health
Have you ever wondered if you’re getting enough omega-3? Perhaps you already eat omega-3 rich foods. Maybe you even supplement with an omega-3 with EPA and DHA sometimes, but is that supplement working? Are you getting enough? Thankfully there’s one sure way to tell where you are, so you can fine tune your diet and supplement regimen. The Omega-3 Index!
In this article you will learn:
- What the Omega-3 Index is
- Why having an Omega-3 Index of 8% or higher is imperative
- That most Americans and people with “Westernized” diet are in a high risk group (<4% index)
- Why even vegetarians or vegans are in a high risk group (<4% index)
- How supplements in the BioActive polar lipid form can improve your Omega-3 Index
- About Örlö Nutrition’s Tested By You program and how you can get 2 FREE TESTS
- The steps involved in taking your Omega-3 Index Test
- What the Omega-3 Index test results look like
What is the Omega-3 Index?
The Omega-3 Index is a blood test that measures the percentage of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in red blood cells, expressed as a percentage of total fatty acids. It’s an important indicator of your overall health, particularly in relation to cardiovascular health, brain health, cellular energy production and cellular function. A low Omega-3 Index has been linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular health decline, as well as other health issues such as mood and cognitive decline, low energy, and inflammation-related maladies like stiff joints and inflamed skin. While the ideal score is 8-12%, most Americans and people with “Westernized” diets test below 4% which is the “at risk” zone. Thankfully, diet and lifestyle changes can help reverse this trend, and regular supplementation with a Bio-Active Omega-3 can help.
Can diet changes help bring your Omega-3 Index into the ideal range of 8 - 12%?
While regular consumption of omega-3 rich foods can improve your Omega-3 Index and overall health, a diet that relies on plant-sourced omega-3s like walnuts, chia seeds, and flax seeds can still have a very low omega-3 index. This is because those foods do not supply a direct source of the omega-3s EPA and DHA. Instead they supply Alpha Linolenic Acid (ALA) which requires several enzymatic processes to become EPA and DHA in the body.
Our body’s natural enzymatic processes are expensive from a nutritional perspective. They require an optimally functioning system with the presence of key nutrients, and the absence of competing fats like trans fats which can inhibit enzymatic processes altogether, and seed oils which compete for the same enzymes to build arachidonic acid (AA) from the linoleic acid (LA) they contain. An overabundance of the omega-6 AA and a deficiency of the omega-3s EPA and DHA sends our systems out of balance and into an inflamed state, setting the stage for a cascade of health concerns.
If you don’t eat 4 - 6 ounces of SMASH fish (sardines, mackerel, anchovies, salmon and herring) 2 - 3 times a week, you aren’t getting a sufficient supply of EPA and DHA – unless you are taking a reliable and highly bioavailable omega-3 EPA + DHA supplement every day.
Are vegans and vegetarians getting enough EPA and DHA?
Vegans and vegetarians who do not supplement with a highly bioavailable omega-3 supplement that contains EPA and DHA commonly test around 3.5% on the Omega-3 Index, falling in the at-risk zone. If you are a vegan or vegetarian, and you are not taking an omega-3 EPA + DHA supplement each day, you are likely in this at-risk group.
So, how do you solve your omega-3 insufficiency?
Consider adding a daily dose of algae-based BioActive Omega-3s in the polar lipid form produced by Örlö Nutrition. These have stronger bioavailability than other omega-3 sources and perform up to 3X better than fish sourced EPA + DHA. You’ll realize the benefit sooner, with none of the fish burps, overfishing, or risk of toxic exposure to heavy metals, pesticides, PCBs, dioxins and furans. You can rest easy, understanding you’ve made a sustainable and bioavailable choice with your chosen supplement.
Daily supplementation over a period of 4 months with Örlö Nutrition’s BioActive Omega-3 products brings demonstrated success. Because Örlö Nutrition’s Omega-3, DHA and Prenatal DHA are more bioavailable, you don’t have to take as much as you would of a fish oil product in order to see measurable results. This means our pills are smaller, easier to swallow, and more effective - all at the same time. Since they are absorbed so efficiently into your body’s tissues, you’ll realize benefits more quickly and be more likely to keep taking them every day.
Get 2 FREE Omega-3 Index test kits with Örlö Nutrition’s Tested By You program!
At Örlö, we are so sure you’ll see a measurable change taking our BioActive Omega-3s each day, that we’re footing the bill for the Omega-3 Index test not just once, but twice! This will enable you to check your pre-Örlö baseline before you begin taking them - so you can see where you’re starting from, and then again after your 4th month of daily use. This is an added value of $100.00 in 3rd party tests to help you biohack your health, fine tune your regimen, get closer to and even surpass the 8% threshold associated with optimizing your health.
How do I get an Omega-3 Index test if I’m not ready to subscribe?
To get your Omega-3 Index Test, you can order one directly from OmegaQuant, or you can order the same test directly from Örlö Nutrition here. They sell for $50.00 a piece, and can easily be taken at home and mailed into OmegaQuant using a pre-postage paid envelope. Once OmegaQuant receives your sample, results are emailed to you in roughly 5 business days. This can mean that from the moment you complete the test and mail it in, results are in your hands within 2 weeks. Sadly, most insurance programs will not cover the Omega-3 Index tests at this time, so if you go through your doctor’s office, you’ll likely pay $100 or more for the same test out-of-pocket.
What’s in the Omega-3 Index test kit?
The test kit includes a collection kit with two lancets (finger stick device), a card for blood sample collection, an alcohol swab to clean your finger, and a self-addressed, postage-paid return envelope.
How do I take the test?
It’s a good idea to take everything out of the test kit first and read the included instructions so you’re sure to understand all the steps before you get started. You should start by going to OmegaQuant.com and registering your test ID number. This ensures that the team at Omegaquant won’t have to rely on reading your handwriting on the included test card, and the results from your test will therefore find their way to your email inbox as soon as they’re ready. When you register your kit online, you can also decide to add other test results to your blood sample, including vitamin D3, if you so desire. These do come at an additional fee - and are not required in order to get your Omega-3 Index results - but may provide additional useful information in managing your health if you’re ready to take the additional plunge.
- Step 0: Take everything out of the kit, and register your ID # on the Omegaquant website.
- Step 1: First, warm up your hands. This will ensure blood flow comes easily once you prick your fingers. You can do this by rubbing them together, shaking them down, or warming them up in some warm water.
- Step 2: Clean your finger with the included alcohol swab.
- step 3: Prick your finger with the lancet to draw a drop of blood.
- Step 4: You will then drip the blood in the 3 circles on the collection card.
- Step 5: Place the collection card in the self-addressed envelope and send it to OmegaQuant.
- Step 6: You’ll receive the results in your email inbox in roughly 1-2 weeks (5 business days after Omegaquant receives your collection card).
What does the analysis include?
After sending back your sample, you will receive an analysis of the levels of omega-3 fatty acids in your blood and your Omega-3 Index Score. The test results will help you understand your body's omega-3 levels and whether you need to increase your intake of fatty fish or omega-3 supplements to achieve optimal health benefits.
For more on the Omega-3 Index and how getting to an 8% threshold can optimize your health, check out our interview with the renowned omega-3 researcher, Dr. Bill Harris, who also co-created the Omega-3 Index. Review the video interview or listen directly on our site here: https://orlonutrition.com/blogs/podcast/how-to-check-if-you-are-getting-enough-omega-3-free-test-offer-included-with-dr-bill-harris
Remember, the most expensive supplement you can buy is the one that doesn’t get absorbed, and therefore doesn’t work. We’re so confident that you’ll see results using Örlö’s BioActive Omega-3s in the polar lipid form, that we’re footing the bill for not just one test, but two. If you’re interested in joining this limited offer, visit our Tested By You product page and subscribe today.