Dr Sears,
Q: A couple of years ago I had a test done through my doctor called, if I remember correctly, a red blood cell lipid membrane analysis, which was supposed to help me know how well my lipids were balanced. I ate a diet very similar to the Zone Diet, very few grains and a lot of veggies and low-carb fruits. I did eat some whole eggs, though, as well as red meat once a week or so. I also took cod liver oil or fish oil, about one to two grams a day. My test results indicated that I had an elevated omega-3 level and not enough omega-6 and not optimal arachidonic acid levels (they were low). I was advised to cut out temporarily omega-3s and add more omega-6 in the form of nuts and a certain amount of sunflower and almond oil and to eat more whole eggs. I am wondering why I might have had these results since I was eating almost an ideal Zone Diet. Could it be that it was just too much omega-3s for me or that having an extreme no saturated fats or bordering on no saturated fats and omega 6s diet is not best for everyone? How might I find and monitor what is the best balance in diet for me to get the right balance of fats in my body without frequently spending hundreds of dollars for tests?
A:Sometimes people (especially physicians) can over-interpret blood tests and forget to ask the patient how they feel. Remember, most people getting a blood test are already sick and therefore are not a normal population. If your AA/EPA is in the right range (1.5-3) for the isolated plasma phospholipids, then you are probably OK. Keep in mind the AA levels in red blood cells are usually 50 percent higher than in the isolated plasma phospholipids. Frankly, adding more omega-6 fatty acid makes little sense if you are trying to control inflammation.