<p>Dr. William ("Bill") Harris is one of the world's preeminent experts in the field of omega-3 fatty acid research. His work has focused on the roles that fatty acids in play in cardiovascular and neurocognitive health.<br /> <br /> The author of more than 300 scientific papers on fatty acids and health, Dr. Harris is a professor in the Department of Medicine in the Sanford School of Medicine at the University of South Dakota, the co-inventor of the Omega-3 Index, founder of OmegaQuant Analytics, and president and founder of the Fatty Acid Research Institute.<br /> <br /> <strong>In this episode, Dr. Harris and I discuss…</strong></p> <ul> <li><strong>(00:00)</strong> Introduction</li> <li><strong>(06:36)</strong> Early studies on omega-3s, dietary fats, and cholesterol </li> <li><strong>(14:44)</strong> Omega-3s may normalize bleeding times </li> <li><strong>(20:33)</strong> Plant-based omega-3s are not equivalent in power to marine omega-3s </li> <li><strong>(25:23)</strong> Genetic engineering of plants is needed for sustainable omega-3s in the future</li> <li><strong>(27:18)</strong> The omega-3 index reveals individual variations in omega-3 needs</li> <li><strong>(32:13)</strong> Red blood cell concentration of omega-3s better reflect long-term omega-3 status</li> <li><strong>(36:41)</strong> Genetic variants influence omega-3 dietary needs</li> <li><strong>(54:20)</strong> The omega-3 index may predict life expectancy</li> <li><strong>(01:05:03)</strong> How metabolites of omega-3 reduce and resolve inflammation</li> <li><strong>(01:17:11)</strong> High omega-3 concentrations halve the risk of COVID-19 death</li> <li><strong>(01:20:10)</strong> DHA may help keep the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein from entering cells</li> <li><strong>(01:22:50)</strong> Concerns over the omega-6/omega-3 ratio may be unfounded</li> </ul> <p><strong>Looking for more? </strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Join over 300,000 people and get the latest distilled information on sleep, depression, and fasting straight to your inbox weekly:</span> <a href="https://www.foundmyfitness.com/newsletter"><span style="font-weight: 400;">https://www.foundmyfitness.com/newsletter</span></a></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Become a FoundMyFitness premium member to get access to exclusive episodes, emails, live Q+A's with Rhonda and more:</span> <a href="https://www.foundmyfitness.com/crowdsponsor"><span style="font-weight: 400;">https://www.foundmyfitness.com/crowdsponsor</span></a></p>
Actionable Insights
1. Achieve Optimal Omega-3 Index
Get your omega-3 index measured (via red blood cell analysis) and aim for a target level over 8% to reflect long-term omega-3 status and reduce overall health risks.
2. Increase Omega-3 Intake Daily
Consistently consume more omega-3s through diet (fatty fish like salmon, sardines) or supplements to raise your omega-3 levels and reduce the risk of various diseases and all-cause mortality.
3. Prioritize Marine Omega-3 Sources
Focus on consuming marine-based omega-3s (EPA and DHA) from fish or algal oil, as plant-based alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) is not as potent for cardioprotective benefits.
4. Boost Omega-3 for Inflammation
Increase your omega-3 intake to lower inflammatory biomarkers and promote the active resolution of inflammation, which is crucial for preventing chronic disease.
5. Omega-3 for Brain Health
Maintain a high omega-3 index to potentially reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s and dementia, with benefits appearing stronger for individuals at higher genetic risk (e.g., APOE4 carriers).
6. Omega-3 for Pregnancy Outcomes
Pregnant women should take omega-3 supplements to reduce the risk of premature birth, especially early premature birth before 34 weeks, as supported by meta-analyses.
7. Monitor DHA in Pregnancy
Pregnant women should consider measuring their red cell DHA levels and aim for an omega-3 index over 5% to help reduce the risk of preterm birth.
8. Supplement if Diet Insufficient
If consistent dietary intake of omega-3s is challenging, utilize supplements as a practical and effective way to ensure adequate omega-3 levels.
9. Titrate Omega-3 Dosage
Adjust omega-3 dosage based on individual blood level measurements (e.g., omega-3 index), as there is significant variability in how people respond to supplementation.
10. Omega-3 and Red Blood Cells
Maintain high omega-3 levels to enhance the flexibility of red blood cell membranes, which may improve oxygen delivery to tissues and contribute to overall health.
11. Focus on Omega-3 Intake
Prioritize increasing your omega-3 intake rather than solely focusing on reducing omega-6 intake to improve the omega-3 to omega-6 ratio for health benefits.
12. Omega-3 Bleeding Concerns
Do not be overly concerned about omega-3s causing clinically significant bleeding, as regulatory bodies like the FDA state prescription omega-3s do not; however, monitoring is standard if on blood thinners.
13. Omega-3 for COVID-19
While not statistically significant in a pilot study, maintaining higher omega-3 levels was associated with a lower risk of mortality from COVID-19, suggesting a potential protective role.
14. Omega-3 and Smoking Risk
While not a substitute for quitting, maintaining a high omega-3 level may reduce the risk of death for smokers, though the best outcome is achieved by not smoking and having high omega-3.