Why the Omega-3 Index Matters

The Omega-3 index has been suggested to predict the risk of coronary heart disease and other cardiovascular events. The results from the following studies indicate: People with low Omega-3 index levels were 10 times more likely to die from sudden cardiac death than those with higher Omega-3 index levels (1)

People with the highest Omega-3 index levels had a 33% reduction in the risk of death from any cause compared to those with the lowest levels. This same study also indicated that the Omega-3 index could predict death risk better than serum cholesterol levels (2).

Higher Omega-3 index levels were associated with lower blood pressure in healthy adults between ages 25 to 41 (3). Low levels are linked to an increase in the risk of major depression for both adults and adolescents. Due to our Western diets, levels tend to be low at less than 4%. Countries with the highest Omega-3 Index values were Scandinavia, Japan, and Korea, with 8-12% levels. In Japan, with a diet high in fish, they have the lowest coronary heart disease mortality and atherosclerosis levels among developed nations. (4)

The good news is even if your omega-3 index is low, you can fix it. Increasing your dietary intake of EPA and DHA by eating fatty fish and taking a fresh fish oil supplement is strongly correlated with increased Omega-3 index levels. Studies show it can take between 1800 – 2000 mg of Omega 3 fish oil daily to improve someone's index by 4 – 5 % points (5)