I, too, signed my wife and I up for the free test kit.
To this point have not had AA/EPA blood test done - TOO EXPENSIVE!

I also signed up for the test for both my husband and I. I am still reading Toxic Fat, had to stop for the holidays.

Thanks Martin! I've also sent for the kit. I haven't been tested before, so this will be interesting ...

Cran, thanks for your offer to keep us posted on the QC :-) .

Laurie

You're welcome! I think that the quality control stuff will be very important in how we judge the reliability of the results.

Hmmm, since Sue has already had a "real" test done, then maybe she would volunteer to share how to put the ratios together, the ones that are "zone-specific"?

And, I had never thought of ordering one for my DH, maybe I should do that! I was also thinking of ordering one for my dad, but maybe I should just send the link to his wife, she can decide. If I put this into his hands, he is likely to ignore it.

You could just order it for your mom in your Dad's name and your Mom's e-mail address. Then when it comes in, she could convince her husband (your dad), and if not - then use it for herself. ??? (With her knowledge and consent, of course.)

yep, qc will be important. Since the test was free, I thought I'd add it to my databank, so to speak. When Zonelabs comes out with a finger price style test, I'll try that as well.

I'll also be happy to share a brief comparison of this free test with my Mayo Clinic results once both are in.

Martin

Martin, that would be an excellent idea, thanks for offering!

Hi Martin,

On average the level of arachidonic acid tends to be lower in the RBC than in the plasma phospholipids.
The ranges Dr. Sears has set forth in his article are only relative to the plasma phospholipids. See: http://drsears.com/ArticlePreview/t...fault.aspx
Since the plasma phospholipids are capable of fatty acid transportation to other cells (including AA) they are a more accurate indicator of inflammation. RBC are dead cells that do not have this capability
We hope this helps,
Tech Support

Well, the testing of whole blood is always going to provide a more accurate result, and there may be differing reference ranges. I think we can take this into consideration. Hopefully, the literature in the test kit or that comes with the results will help us to interpret the results.

I haven't received my test kit yet, so I sent an email back to the company. I received an email back, they state that there has been a huge response to the free offer, and they are backed up. It could be 2-4 weeks before the kit is received.

Just thought I would update everyone.

Thanks Tech Support. I did end up getting my plasma levels tested. I also wrote to the support guys at the lab in Canada that Dr. Sears recommends. Their profile seems to address both plasma levels and the Red Blood Cell-based HS-Omega 3 Index. I am pasting in his comments below. My doctor actually told me he prefers the RBC test because it is more of a longer term average of fatty acids since it measures the amount in the live cell membranes. Those are not dead cells, although they do not perform the transport function that you mention. Personally, I think either test would be helpful for the ratio, since it is the ratio and not the absolute quantity that appears to be important. Since the whole blood/dried blood spot kits seems to be more accessible to the public, I suspect the serum tests requiring a blood draw will not be as widely used for personal testing purposes.

I got my results back from my serum and it was better than I thought it would be: a little less than 6. I started on 7.5 grams of EPA/DHA daily on Jan 4, so we'll see how it looks when I check it again in a few months. I'm also maintaining a zone diet, with excellent results so far with my blood sugar.

Thanks for the helpful input,

Martin

comments pasted from email response:
Hi Martin,

Serum levels usually take about 3-4 weeks to reflect dietary or supplementation changes in fat consumption due the cell turnover rate of the serum phospholipid. Red blood cells typically take 6 weeks and sometimes longer to reflect these changes due to the cell turnover rate of the RBC and it is a slightly ‘deeper pool’ of fatty acids so to speak.
There is a debate in both the academic/research space and commercial blood testing space as to which is more effective. Traditionally all scientific papers with regards to fatty acid supplementation examined the serum phospholipid, there is now increased interest on other blood compartments.

While some labs sell the RBC omega-3 index, what they are actually measuring is the whole blood fatty acid levels and using a published validated correlation equation to determine the equivalent RBC fatty acid levels.

Traditionally our blood test was a direct measure of the serum phospholipid. We have since switched to the whole blood model for several reasons:

1) A new cut-off was published for whole blood omega-3 levels and death in the New England Journal of Medicine

2) In addition to a red blood cell equivalent equation we have an equation for serum phospholipid equivalence which allows us to provide us with 4 different scientific peer reviewed cut-offs in 3 different blood compartments in addition to the serum AA:EPA ratio which is value added to our client

3) It will allow us to transition to blood spot testing. where the industry is going a separation of the blood components into serum, RBC etc. is not possible.



Hope this answers your questions.

Also, just a quick reply to Sue: the Mayo Clinic did do the test in the same manner recommended by Dr. Sears. It was a serum phospholipid test.

Interesting stuff, Martin!

I haven't received my free test yet, but no big deal. I have never done it, and I don't suppose waiting a few more weeks will make a difference in the long run. My test will be a blood spot test. As you suggested, I am basically looking for ratios, and to compare results from one test to another. If the reliability of the test is good, then it should be a good measure of how controlled my inflammation levels are along a continuum of time. That is, provided that I re-test. I still have to consider whether or not I will be spending the money on it.

Thanks for all the additional info Martin.

Happy to share what I find. I hope that with more labs getting involved in the blood spot test, it may become reasonably priced for re-testing purposes. As cranberrycat pointed out, to check over time requires that retest, and the expense. We'll see how the market progresses. I think Dr. Sears may have created a lipids testing mini-industry here. I'll look forward to seeing which lab he ends up working with, or perhaps Zone Labs will offer their own.

Martin, Zone Labs has been developing one for some time (note the mention in TOXIC FAT). It should be available soon.

Sue, do you have any idea how soon "soon" is? I have heard talk of this test for well over a year, but "soon" hasn't arrived yet.

RE: On 31 December 2009, Martin wrote:
.
"... http://www.omega3test.com/
.
Since this also seems to be a home test kit, I am assuming it is a finger prick, whole blood method.
.
But what is amazing is that this test is being offered FREE right now. That is not a typo. I don't know how long that will last. But I wanted to share that timely piece of information with the forum community. I have no connection with this or any other lab. But free is a good price, and I thought I'd pass along the tip. I've already submitted my name on the list. There's a simple online form there. ... "
.
.
I had saved the e-mail when I signed up back in Dec/Jan, and just about a couple of weeks ago, I wrote politely asking if they were still sending out the free test kits, and if so, what the expected time frame was going to be.
.
After my inquiry, a couple of days later, they replied, that they were still sending them out, and that they put mine (two) in the mail. A couple of days later, I received the two finger prick test kits.
.
My wife and I both used them and sent them off end of last week. We should receive the results by e-mail in about 3 weeks.
.
Just curious if any one else has received their free test kits? If not, maybe a polite, gentle inquiry might spur them, as it did for us.....

I hadn't received my test, either. So, I retrieved my old email and have done the same thing. I haven't received it yet but they responded right away and apologized for not getting it sent sooner.

Got my results e-mailed to me this afternoon:
.
.....................................My Result.......Control.......Optimal
Total Omega 3 Score..........10.90..........5.52..........>9%
ALA (18:33).....................0.34..........0.97..........>2%
EPA (20:53).....................3.25..........0.59..........>3%
DPA (22:53) ....................1.99..........1.13..........>2%
DHA (22:63).....................5.04..........3.59..........>5%
% Omega 3 as HUFA
(The Land’s Test) ..............53.87.........23.6..........>50%
Omega 3 Index (RBC
EPA + DHA) .......................8.78............4.43..........>8%
Total Omega 6 Score..........27.17..........42.10..........-----
LA (18:26).....................17.69..........23.90..........-----
DGLA (20:36)...................0.75............1.41.........-----
AA (20:46).......................7.71..........12.84..........<9%
% Omega 6 as HUFA...........46.13..........76.40..........<50%
Omega 6/Omega 3 Ratio......2.49: 1........7.63: 1........<5:1
AA/EPA Ratio......................2.37: 1......21.76: 1........<5:1
.
Now to figure what all of these numbers mean,
though I seem to be at or just better than Optimal,
except for ALA.
.
Dr. Sears recommends (Toxic Fat) an AA/EPA ratio of less than 3 is very good, and 1.5 (BUT no less!) is ideal.

John, I think those results look great! Well, what do I know, but like you said, you are right at the "optimal" and right in the ballpark for what Barry Sears recommends, so I think those are good results!

I just got my kit in the mail, but haven't had a chance to do the test. Actually, I keep forgetting to do it, and end up eating breakfast first-lol.

Hi everyone. I am trying to get back into the Zone 110%. I have wanted to get the blood testing done and I think seeing numbers will be helpful. I have read all of Dr. reqSears books several years ago, except the latest one. So, I just ordered it and will read all of these interesting details again. I believe I will make an appointment for a wellness exam and request the bloodwork to be done. I am curious if I should eat really well in the Zone for 1 - 2 months before, or just go and see what it is now? What do you think?

If you do it now, it could be valuable information to establish a baseline for where you are now, and then you could repeat it again in a few months to see how things change with the improvements that you make.

However, since the test is quite expensive and not covered by insurance, you may want to just to do the tune-up for a few months and then do the test.

I would go with option one, if you can afford it.

Hi Ayesha,

A tip re the AA/EPA test specifically, you'd want to be at your current fish oil dose for at least 30 days proir to the blood draw because it takes 30 days to receive the full effect of the fish oil dosage. Also, the AA/EPA is not available at most labs, only at a handful of specialized labs around the country. You'll find the list of labs the do the test, as well as contace info, in Toxic Fat, when you receive your copy. Good choice of books. Have a nice day!

I am resurrecting this thread to ask: What is the status on the Zone Test at the moment?

What should those of us not in North America do....? The audiobook I listened to mentioned something about a lab in Canada but I am on the other side of the Atlantic for that.
I don't know how the health system in the USA or Canada work, but in Europe you cannot go to your Dr and just tell him/her that you want to take a particular test that you read about in the book...
Any tests that they take has to be related to some illness that the Dr wants to check for.

(I suppose this is the backside of a system where you are not a paying customer....
The Dr does not have to indulge the ideas that the patient has, if he doesn't want to or doesn't believe in it.
I frankly can't see them ordering a test based on somehing I read about in an American bestseller book about health...

I had to see a rheumatologist and she was relatively uninterested in the fact that I had been following an anti-inflammatory diet, even though it is right down her street as a specialist working with inflammatory diseases. She was just pleased that the cortisone course had worked and probably thought the diet had a placebo effect on me.... at best!

How have people handled this?