Susan B. Dopart M.S., R.D.

In today’s LA Times health Section, Chris Woolston gives an unbiased and helpful review on the Omega-3 Index, a new tool sold to measure 2 out of the 3 types of omega 3’s fatty acids in your blood:  EPA and DHA. For $149 you can prick your finger (much like a diabetic pricks their finger to measure their blood sugars), put your blood on a strip and send it away for testing.

Omega 3’s are vital for health (see blog 7/5/09) and are helpful for prevention of many health related issues such as insulin resistance, heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer’s, arthritis to name a few.  Is it really necessary to order this type of test versus just going out and purchasing a supplement that contains at least 1000 mg. each of DHA and EPA?  That depends on your particular situation.

If for some medical reason you are unable to take fish oil supplements due to an allergy or a medication interaction, this test may be a good idea to measure the levels of omega 3’s in your blood.  If you can take fish oil, skip the test and buy a good supplement.  They are a healthful addition to any diet and can assist immensely with lowering many types of inflammation in the body.