10.01.09
A new blood test that measures the level of omega 3 fatty acids in red blood cells has been introduced to the public as a consumer-friendly, at-home “finger stick” test. The Gene Smart Omega 3 Index—from Winston-Salem, NC-based Gene Smart Wellness—measures the amount of EPA and DHA omega 3 fatty acids in red blood cell membranes, expressed as the percent of total fatty acids. The results of the test are represented as a score that a significant body of research indicates may be an independent predictor of heart disease—with a score of 4% or less indicating a high risk, and a score of 8% or more indicating a relatively low risk. In introducing its Omega 3 Index, Gene Smart has partnered with William Harris, PhD, a professor in the Department of Internal Medicine and Basic Biomedical Sciences at the Sanford School of Medicine of the University of South Dakota and co-author of the American Heart Association’s (AHA) Scientific Advisory on Fish and Omega 3 Fatty Acids. The Gene Smart Omega 3 Index uses Dr. Harris’s proprietary HS-Omega 3 Index methodology, which was used in clinical studies that validated the correlation between the Omega 3 Index and heart disease risk. The test also provides a measure of a person’s omega 6 to omega 3 ratio.