A Powerful Predictor of Heart Disease Risk

We know that Omega-3s are vital to your health. But did you know just how strong a predictor of heart disease your Omega-3 index can be? In a recent interview with Whole Foods Magazine, Dr. Bill Harris (a scientific colleague of Dr. Ski Chilton) discussed the importance of measuring your Omega-3 Index. The following is an excerpt from Richard Passwater’s interview with Dr. Bill Harris.

Now that most scientists recognize that cardiovascular heart disease results from inflammation in the arteries (which leads to plaque that can rupture and cause an acute heart attack or stroke), a new test has been developed that strongly depicts an individual’s risk of this disease. As it has turned out, the Omega-3 Index test is an extremely strong and accurate predictor of heart disease risk.

The Omega-3 Index Home Blood Test is a simple blood test that examines the levels of certain fatty acids in red blood cells. The Omega-3 Index reflects the cellular content of the primary omega-3 fatty acids in fish oil. The Omega-3 Index is measuring a factor that both predicts future risk for a disease and can be altered by a lifestyle (diet) change. Making the changes suggested by the Omega-3 Index will change the risk for developing a disease.

We believe that checking your Omega-3 Index is so important that Gene Smart pioneered the first Omega-3 Test that lets you measure the Omega-3 Index and Omega-6 to Omega-3 Ratio using a convenient home blood test kit.  For a limited time, you can save $10!  Click here to learn more.

Passwater: What does the HS-Omega-3 Index measure? 

Harris: The fatty acid content of red blood cells. Figure 1 depicts a red blood cell with a section of its lipid bilayer expanded to show membrane phospholipids. Each of the 32 phospholipid molecules shown here has two fatty acids; those in red are the long-chain omega-3 fatty acids EPA and/or DHA. With a total of 64 fatty acids, three long-chain omega-3 fatty acids constitute 4.6% of the total fatty acids. Hence, the Omega-3 Index of the patient from whom this cell was taken would be 4.6%.

Passwater: How does the Index compare to other common risk indicators (specifically blood cholesterol) as an indicator of future heart disease or sudden death?

Harris: The Omega-3 Index is a better predictor of sudden cardiac death than blood cholesterol is, even cholesterol fractions of LDL and HDL. It’s also better than blood triglycerides or homocysteine as a risk predictor. 

Through his studies, Dr. Bill Harris found that:

• An Omega-3 Index of >8% was associated with a lower risk for acute coronary syndromes (ACS). ACS is an umbrella term used to cover any group of clinical symptoms compatible with acute myocardial ischemia. Acute myocardial ischemia is chest pain due to insufficient blood supply to the heart muscle that results from coronary artery disease (also called coronary heart disease)
• A higher Omega-3 Index was associated with slowed “cellular aging” as measured by the five-year rate of telomere shortening
• Heart patients with below average Omega-3 Index values died at a faster rate than those with above average levels
• Patients with severe sleep apnea have lower red blood cell DHA levels than people who have less severe disease
• Patients admitted to the hospital with an acute heart attack are less likely to develop ventricular arrhythmias if they have a higher versus a lower Omega-3 Index
• A lower Omega-3 Index was associated with depression, both in adolescent patients and in post acute coronary symptoms patients
• The Omega-3 Index was directly associated with cardiac exercise parameters in patients with stable coronary heart disease

A high Omega-3 Index is directly related to a lowered risk for heart disease.

To learn more about the Omega-3 Index, click here.

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