Omega 3 blood test in Canada: at home or at a lab
Both measure the fatty acids in your blood. What changes: how the sample is taken, what you need to ask for, and what the report lets you read.
What a routine blood test does not measure
A routine lipid panel gives cholesterol and triglycerides. It gives neither the omega 6:3 ratio nor the omega 3 index. To know them, you need a fatty acid analysis of the blood, which is not part of a routine checkup: at a lab, it has to be requested specifically.
Point by point
| Criterion | Home test (BalanceTest) | Blood draw at a lab |
|---|---|---|
| Sample | A few drops from the fingertip, at home | A blood draw from the arm |
| Travel | None, the kit is delivered anywhere in Canada | To the lab |
| Method | Dried blood spot on a card | Blood drawn from the arm |
| Analysis | Independent Vitas laboratory, in Norway | Depends on the lab, sometimes sent to a specialized lab |
| What the report gives | Omega 6:3 ratio, omega 3 index, protection value, 11 fatty acids | Depends on the analysis requested: check that it includes the omega 3 index and the omega 6:3 ratio |
| Results | Online, 10 to 20 days after the lab receives the sample | Depends on the lab |
| Second measurement | Sent free after 120 days with the subscription kit, if the subscription is active and fully paid | A new analysis to request |
Once your report arrives: how to read your BalanceTest results.
Do the two methods measure the same thing?
Very closely, for the omega 3 index. A study published in 2016 by researcher William Harris found a correlation of 0.97 between the index measured on a dried blood spot and on red blood cells from an arm draw: very close, though not identical. It is the method used by the Vitas laboratory, which has analyzed more than 800,000 tests.
What matters most: comparing two measurements made the same way. A first and a second test analyzed by the same lab, with the same method, compare directly.
Four questions before you choose
- Does the report give the omega 3 index and the omega 6:3 ratio?
- Who analyzes the sample, and where?
- How long until the results arrive?
- Will you be able to repeat the same measurement in 120 days to compare?
For how sampling works: the home omega 3 test in 4 steps. Before ordering: Zinzino BalanceTest in Canada, what to know before you order.
One measurement at home, a second one to compare.
The BalanceTest takes a few minutes at home and is ordered from the official Zinzino Canada shop, delivered anywhere in Canada. The subscription kit includes a second test at 120 days to compare.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a prescription to take the test at home?
No. The kit is ordered online and the sample is taken at home.
Is a test taken at home reliable?
For the omega 3 index, a study published in 2016 found a correlation of 0.97 between the dried blood spot and red blood cells from an arm draw. The sample is analyzed by an independent laboratory, Vitas, in Norway.
Can I show my results to my doctor?
Yes, you can show your report to a health professional. The test remains an analysis for information only, not a diagnosis.
When should I take the second test?
About 120 days after the first one: the values reflect your diet over the last 120 days, the lifespan of blood cells.