Study Shows Importance of Fatty Acid Testing

GOTHENBURG, Sweden, Oct. 19, 2026 /CourierPR/ -- A new study based on 762,150 blood samples adds large-scale real-world evidence to the value of a test-based approach in measuring nutritional status. The study, which analyzed dried blood spot samples collected between 2012 and 2023, found that people who reported following Zinzino's structured Balance Concept for at least 120 days showed higher levels of omega-3 and a more balanced omega-6:3 ratio than both non-users and people taking omega-3 supplements on their own.

The Balance Concept, a program designed by Zinzino, is simple: take a fatty acid test to establish a baseline measure of one's nutritional status before following a supplement routine with omega-3 intake tailored to their body weight. Every 120 days, take another test to track changes over time and evaluate the outcome with measurable data.

The study, which was based on 762,150 blood samples, showed that the Balance Concept group had 70% higher levels of omega-3 compared to non-users. Additionally, the Balance Concept group had a 69% lower omega-6:3 balance than non-users. These findings highlight the importance of a broader fatty acid profile, as the study also showed that even with a comparable omega-3 index, the groups could still have very different omega-6:3 ratio results.

One of the most interesting findings emerged when researchers compared samples with similar Omega-3 index (EPA+DHA levels) but quite different omega-6:3 ratios (AA/EPA values). For example, at an omega-3 level of around 4%, the group taking non-specified omega-3 supplements had about 17% lower omega-6:3 ratio than non-users, while the Balance Concept group had about 47% lower ratio. This means that the Omega-3 index (EPA+DHA levels) and omega-6:3 ratio (AA/EPA values) provide different but complementary information about a person's fatty-acid profile.

The study, which was published in 2025, examined geographic and demographic variation in whole-blood fatty acid status using the same whole-blood fatty-acid method. The researchers analyzed dried blood spot samples collected from August 2012 to September 2023, and adjusted for differences in age, sex, body mass index, and geographic region.

With more than 762,000 samples, researchers could look beyond group averages and examine how widely results varied across geographic regions. The analyses accounted for age, sex, and body mass index, and additional analyses were conducted to test the robustness of the findings without materially changing the main results. The dataset also showed less regional variation in omega-6:3 ratios within the Balance Concept group than in the other two groups. Geographic differences nevertheless remained, and other unmeasured factors may have contributed. This reinforces that the findings describe real-world associations rather than effects demonstrated in a controlled intervention.

The study underscores the importance of looking at both the Omega-3 index (EPA+DHA levels) and omega-6:3 ratio (AA/EPA values) together to get a more complete understanding of one's personal fatty acid profile. The findings suggest that real-world omega-3 supplementation should not be understood simply as supplement use versus non-use. Considering both measures provides a more differentiated description of fatty-acid biomarker patterns than measuring EPA+DHA alone.

Zinzino's structured Balance Concept program includes supplementing with BalanceOil, a full-spectrum fish oil and extra-virgin olive oil formulation, getting weight-based dosage recommendations, and optional nutritional lifestyle guidance based on the test results. The study cannot separate the effect of BalanceOil from the rest of the Balance Concept. However, it does show that the group using BalanceOil as part of Zinzino's Balance Concept had a distinctly different measured fatty-acid profile, and the paper identifies the formulation as one possible and potentially important part of the explanation.

The findings reinforce the rationale behind a test-based approach: measure first, use the results to inform what comes next, and measure again, rather than assuming that supplement use alone tells someone what they need to know. The study also highlights the importance of looking at the broader fatty acid profile rather than relying on a single number, such as the Omega-3 index (EPA+DHA levels).