Omega-3 Index: EPA, DHA and your fatty acid profile in the blood

At a glance

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Who is it for?

The Omega-3 Index package is for you if you want to know what your diet actually does to your fatty acids. The body makes very little of the long-chain omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA itself; they come mainly from oily sea fish, algae or a supplement. If you rarely eat fish or follow a vegetarian or vegan diet, this shows you where you stand.

If you already take omega-3, the profile shows whether it is reaching your blood and how EPA and DHA relate to each other. It does not replace advice, but it gives your doctor consultation a measured basis instead of a guess.

Common reasons

Reasons to know your fatty acid profile:

• you rarely or never eat oily sea fish
• you follow a vegetarian or vegan diet
• you take omega-3 without ever having checked your level
• lots of processed food and vegetable oils, little fish
• you want to read the inflammation values from your Core panel in context

At NOA, the omega-3 index is measured in serum, not in red blood cells. Well-known target values from studies mostly refer to red blood cells and cannot be transferred directly; a serum value reflects the last few weeks rather than months. The fatty acid analysis takes longer in the lab, so these results arrive later than your other values.

What the values show

Omega-3 fatty acids

EPA and DHA are the long-chain omega-3 fatty acids from sea fish, algae or supplements; the body makes only very small amounts itself. EPA is the source of signalling molecules involved in resolving inflammatory responses, while DHA is a building block of nerve cells and the retina. Alpha-linolenic acid is the plant omega-3 fatty acid found in linseed, rapeseed and walnut oil, and shows how much plant omega-3 your diet provides.

Omega-6 fatty acids

Linoleic acid is the most common omega-6 fatty acid and is found in many vegetable oils and processed foods. Via gamma-linolenic acid and dihomo-gamma-linolenic acid, the body turns it into arachidonic acid, the source of important messenger molecules. None of these values is good or bad on its own: they become meaningful in relation to each other and to omega-3.

Saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids

Myristic, palmitic, stearic, arachidic and behenic acid are saturated fatty acids; palmitoleic, oleic and nervonic acid are monounsaturated. They come from food, but the body also makes some of them itself. They complete the picture of how fatty acids are distributed in your blood, but they are not a record of what you eat.

Ratios and indices

The omega-3 index gives the combined share of EPA and DHA among the fatty acids in serum and is measured directly. The AA/EPA, EPA/DHA, omega-6/omega-3 and saturated/unsaturated ratios are calculated from the individual values. They show proportions, for example whether your intake provides more EPA or DHA, and are not a direct test of inflammation.

All values

Ratios & indices

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Omega-3 fatty acids

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Omega-6 fatty acids

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Saturated fatty acids

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Monounsaturated fatty acids

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All values at a glance

How to prepare

You receive the same advice by email before your appointment.

• Pause supplements. No supplements until the draw, for example biotin, iron, multivitamins or omega-3. Ideally stop biotin 2–3 days beforehand. Preparations prescribed by a doctor count as medication.
• No hard training 24–48 hours before. Intense sessions distort inflammation and muscle values (hs-CRP, CK, ferritin). A gentle walk is fine.
• No alcohol 24 hours before. It affects the liver values.
• Drink plenty of water. At least 1 litre of water the day before and in the morning. Good hydration makes the blood draw easier.
• Come fasting. Eat nothing for the last 12 hours beforehand (for glucose, insulin and blood lipids). Water is allowed and even encouraged.
• Coffee only after the draw. Even unsweetened. Only once your blood has been taken.
• Medication as usual. Take it as usual.
• Rested and relaxed. Stress and rushing shortly before can affect individual values.

How it works

1. Take out your NOA Core membership online and add the panels you want.
2. Book a morning appointment at an NOA Health Lab near you.
3. Come fasting: the blood draw takes about 15 minutes on site.
4. Your values are usually in your dashboard within 4 working days.
5. In the doctor consultation by video, you go through what matters for you.

Locations near you

Goes well with

• The base, always included

  NOA Core membership

  102 values

  Who it is for: Anyone who wants to know their health status

  €299 per year

• Optional

  Lp(a)

  1 value

  Who it is for: Every adult, once in life

  one-off €25

• Optional

  Performance

  19 values

  Who it is for: Endurance and strength athletes who train a lot

  €149 per year