In this podcast, several studies related to omega 3 status and health are discussed by Bill Harris (PhD) who has been in this field for over 40 years and who contributed to these studies. It appears omega 3 is related to overall health. Health risks related to low omega 3 status are for example cardiovascular diseases, lung diseases and eye conditions. It is mentioned that omega 3 is an important nutrient for general population health because it’s easy to measure and adjust in a safe and low-cost manner. The main challenge for the upcoming years will be to standardize omega 3 status tests. Currently, there are several methods used to measure omega 3 status. Harris explains why the omega 3 index test, a blood test that indicates the amount of EPA and DHA carried in red blood cell membranes, is the most reliable measurement according to him.
Harris W. S. (2006). The omega-6/omega-3 ratio and cardiovascular disease risk: uses and abuses. Current atherosclerosis reports, 8(6), 453–459. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11883-006-0019-7
McBurney, M. I., Tintle, N. L., Vasan, R. S., Sala-Vila, A., & Harris, W. S. (2021). Using an erythrocyte fatty acid fingerprint to predict risk of all-cause mortality: the Framingham Offspring Cohort. The American journal of clinical nutrition, nqab195. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/nqab195