The Role of Personalized Omega-3 Spot Testing

Unfortunately, most North Americans do not consume fish/seafood on a regular/frequent basis and thus fall well below recommended intakes of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids such as EPA/DHA from international organizations for health and disease protection and management.

Numerous controlled clinical trials have established that higher intakes of EPA/DHA via fish/seafood and/or nutritional supplements can provide dramatic health benefits throughout the human life cycle. Very recently, target EPA/DHA omega-3 fatty acid intakes have been advocated for COVID-19.

'Personalized omega-3 testing’ via mail-in home kits have become available via the Lipid Analytical Laboratory/LAL, Univ. of Guelph Research, in collaboration with CanAlt Health Laboratories, such that breast milk or blood spots can be applied to specialized paper strips and sent to the laboratory for capillary high performance gas-liquid chromatographic analyses. Because numerous factors such as the amounts/forms of omega-3 consumed, duration and timing of omega-3 intakes, bodyweight, etc., can greatly influence omega-3 status in the body, direct 'personalized' assessment for omega-3 levels via spot testing has become the so-called 'gold standard'.

This webinar will address:

• How measured levels of omega-3 fatty acids provide a risk assessment (high, medium, low)
• How measured blood spot levels correspond to the risk for premature infant birth in the case of pregnancy testing, cognitive and visual development/performance in infants/toddlers based on breast milk spot testing during lactation
• The risks for pregnancy outcomes, heart disease, and sudden cardiac death, all-cause mortality, and age-related cognitive deterioration based on blood spot testing in adults
• How if 'high - risk' levels are found, can be restored to 'low-risk' levels within a relatively short time period via increasing EPA/DHA intakes using diet (fish/seafood) and/or omega-3 supplementation
• The daily intakes of EPA/DHA (via fish/seafood and/or supplements) that are needed to move 'risk' zone results into the 'low risk' zones for the various outcomes
• The confirmation of restoration to the low-risk status by repeat blood or breast milk spot testing

Q&A
Our experts will share answers to the most frequently asked questions followed by an opportunity for attendees to ask their own questions.

This will be of benefit to:

• Naturopathic Doctors
• Holistic Practitioners
• Medical Doctors
• Dieticians
• Nutritionists
• Consumers