Joint pain, brain fog and low immunity, why your Omega-3 levels matter

Written By Tina Hancocks

How essential fats influence inflammation, immune balance and long-term health and why guessing is no longer enough.

If you have found yourself rubbing stiff fingers in the morning, re-reading the same paragraph because your brain is just not quite landing, or wondering why every cold seems to knock you flat these days, you are not imagining things and you are certainly not failing at taking care of yourself.

These patterns often share a common thread. Low-grade, poorly resolved inflammation quietly shaping how your joints feel, how clearly you think and how resilient or overactive your immune system can be. Not the dramatic inflammation that sends you to A&E, but the kind that lingers in the background, wearing your body down over time.

I work with people every week who are doing a huge amount “right”. They eat well, they move their bodies and they pay attention to their health. Yet their joints still ache, their energy feels fragile, their immune system unpredictable and their thinking is slower than it used to be. Blood tests often come back “normal”. They are reassured and sent away, while knowing in their body that something is not adding up.

One of the most common and most overlooked contributors I see is omega-3 status.

Omega-3 fats sit at the very heart of how your cells regulate inflammation and immune responses. When levels are low, or out of balance with omega-6 fats, the body can gradually tip towards a more inflammatory state, long before anything obvious appears on blood tests.

Omega-3 testing is one of the most frequent tests I run and clients are almost always surprised by what we find. Many are already taking a supplement, many believe they eat enough oily fish, yet their results often tell a different story.

In this article I want to help you understand how omega-3s actually work, why modern diets so easily push us out of balance and how to work out whether this matters for you, without guessing and hoping for the best.

Omega-3 Foods

What omega-3 and omega-6 really do

Omega-3 and omega-6 fats are often grouped together and quickly dismissed as “healthy fats”, but that hugely undersells their importance. These fats are classed as ‘essential’ for a reason.

Unlike many other fats, your body cannot make them, so you rely entirely on what you eat, absorb and convert to keep your cells functioning properly.

Every. Single. Cell membrane in your body is built partly from these fats. When the balance is right, membranes remain flexible and responsive, allowing nutrients in, waste out and signals to pass cleanly between cells. When the balance is skewed, membranes become more rigid and reactive, signalling is disrupted and that is where problems can begin.

Omega fats are also used to create chemical messengers called eicosanoids. These act like local hormones, telling the immune system when to turn up the volume, when to calm down and when to resolve inflammation completely. Metabolites of omega-3 and omega-6 also have specialist immune-regulatory functions, known as pro-resolving mediators (SPMs). This is where omega-3 (and its balance with omega-6) plays such a critical role. It does not simply block inflammation, it helps the body resolve the inflammatory response properly, which is something many chronically inflamed bodies and those with autoimmune disease struggle to do. [1, 2]

Why inflammation becomes chronic

Inflammation itself is not the enemy; it is a vital part of healing and immune defence. The issue arises when inflammation becomes low grade, persistent and poorly controlled.

Modern diets have shifted the balance of fats dramatically. Ideally, healthy cell membranes contain roughly four parts omega-6, to one part omega-3. In reality, many people are consuming twenty to thirty times more omega-6 than omega-3, largely due to vegetable oils, processed foods and conventionally raised meat and dairy, together with reduced oily fish consumption.[3]

Because these fats become physically incorporated into your cells (including your immune cells), over time this imbalance changes how your immune system behaves. The body becomes more primed towards inflammation and less efficient at switching that response off. For people with autoimmune conditions, joint pain, recurrent infections or inflammatory symptoms that never fully settle, this context becomes essential.


Signs your omega-3 might be low

Omega fat imbalance rarely announces itself loudly. Instead, it tends to show up in subtle, more easily-dismissed ways:

  • Dry skin that no cream quite fixes 

  • Hair that looks lifeless despite good nutrition 

  • Brittle or cracked nails 

  • Dry eyes or mouth 

  • Fatigue that feels more than a bad night’s sleep 

  • Stiff joints, especially first thing in the morning 

  • Allergy symptoms that come and go 

  • PMS that seems to worsen with age

  • Cholesterol or blood pressure creeping up despite lifestyle efforts

None of these symptoms on their own mean you are deficient, but patterns are important. When I see several of these together, particularly alongside immune or inflammatory issues, omega balance is on my radar.

Omega-6 overload and how to fix it

Omega-6 fats are not inherently bad, they are essential too. The problem is when we have them in excess.

They are predominantly found in refined vegetable oils such as sunflower, corn and soya oil, which are now in almost every processed food, together with nuts and seeds. Combine this with commercially raised meat and dairy and it becomes very easy to tip the balance towards omega-6 and away from omega-3 without realising it.

Practical changes can make a meaningful difference: Reducing ultra processed foods, choosing organic and grass-fed animal products where possible, and switching cooking oils to extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil in moderation can all help lower omega-6 intake. Small amounts of traditional saturated fats such as ghee or coconut oil can also have a place, particularly for higher-heat cooking.

The key is giving your cells better raw materials to help manage inflammation and increasing the amount of omega-3 (more oily fish!) relative to omega-6.


Where to get your omega-3

When people hear they may be low in omega-3, the first response is often, “But I eat well” or “I have fish a couple of times a week”. 

The most biologically active forms of omega-3 fats are EPA and DHA, which are found primarily in oily fish such as sardines, anchovies, mackerel, herring and salmon. These long-chain fats are the forms your cells use directly to support inflammation resolution, immune balance and brain function.

Grilled sardines with sundried tomatoes and lemon

Plant foods such as flaxseed, hemp, chia seeds and walnuts provide omega-3 in the form of ALA. While these are valuable foods and absolutely have a place in a healthy diet, ALA must be converted in the body into EPA and DHA, a process that is highly inefficient, at only around 5% conversion![4] This conversion becomes even less reliable with age, hormonal changes, nutrient deficiencies and higher omega-6 intake.

For many people I work with, especially those dealing with inflammation, autoimmune conditions or chronic stress, dietary intake alone does not reliably achieve optimal omega-3 levels. That does not mean food is unimportant, but we need to be realistic about what the body can do under real-life conditions and I strongly recommend that vegans and vegetarians use a high-quality supplement in all scenarios.

Look for high-quality products ideally containing a minimum of 1,000mg EPA & DHA combined, that have been tested for purity. A favourite I use often is Wiley’s Finest Peak EPA which contains that amount in just one capsule.

Omega-3 supplement capsules

Omega-3 and autoimmune and inflammatory conditions

One of the reasons omega-3 is so relevant in autoimmunity is because it supports immune control (modulation) rather than immune suppression. All the different types of immune cells have been shown to respond to omega-3. [1,2]

In autoimmune conditions the immune system is not weak, it has been triggered to work against the body’s own tissues. Omega-3-derived mediators help guide immune responses towards resolution, supporting the body’s ability to calm inflammation once its job is done or dampening down an overreactive initial response by T-cells or autoantibodies.[1] 

Research is strongest in conditions such as Rheumatoid arthritis and Lupus, where omega-3 intake has been associated with reduced disease activity and inflammatory markers, but the principles apply more broadly to chronic inflammatory states.[5,6]

This does not mean omega-3 is a cure, but it is often a foundational piece that can make other interventions more effective and better tolerated.

Testing changes the conversation

I am a strong advocate for testing rather than guessing.

The Omega-3 Index measures the percentage of EPA and DHA, the essential long-chain omega-3 fats, in your red blood cell membranes. Because red blood cells live for around four months, this gives us a clear picture of long-term omega-3 status, rather than just what you ate yesterday!

An optimal Omega-3 Index is considered to be within the range 8-12%. Many people sit well below this and levels often decline with age due to dietary changes and reduced absorption. A low Omega-3 Index has been associated with increased inflammation, accelerated biological ageing, higher risk of chronic disease and adverse cardiovascular events.[7]

Recent studies put the UK in the “Low” category of omega-3, at an average of 5.6% across the population, with only a minority of adults achieving optimal intake of essential fats. [8]

Testing allows us to personalise intake, avoid excess (too much of a good thing, isn’t always a good thing!) and understand whether supplements are actually doing what they are meant to do; this is a cost-effective, simple ‘at-home’ test I offer. Raising your Omega-3 Index to the desirable zone of 8-12% will help ensure you are getting enough of the right omega-3s to protect your health. Genetic testing can also add another layer, revealing how efficiently you convert omega fats into their active forms and whether specific vitamin and mineral co-factors need more attention.

omega 3 index test boxes on table

What to do next…

If you are tired of guessing, layering supplements and hoping something works, there is another way. A Nutritional Therapy consultation looks at omega balance within the context of your whole health picture, not in isolation.

If you would like to explore whether omega-3 testing or personalised support could help you move forward with more clarity and confidence, you can click here to book in for a free 20-minute chat. There is no pressure, just a conversation about what your body might be asking for next.

👉 Click here to book in for a free chat and see how I can support you individually to feel your best.


Fancy dipping your toe into the water of working with me join my Sugar Shift programme - a 28-day online reset to balance blood sugar, reduce inflammation and feel more in control - starting 23rd February 2026. Act quickly to take advantage of the early bird pricing offer.

You’ll learn how to eat, live, and support your body in ways that reduce inflammation, calm your immune system and put you back in the driver’s seat.

👉 Email me: Drop me a line at hello@tinahancocks.com if you’d like more information on functional medicine testing, genetic testing, toxin testing and elimination or autoimmune reactivity.

I look forward to helping you on your journey to better health!

Skipped to the bottom? In summary

If you’re living with autoimmunity and feel stuck with pain, fatigue or brain fog, one overlooked piece could be your Omega-3 levels. Omega-3 fats are not a wellness ‘trend’, they are structural, regulatory and deeply tied to how your immune system behaves. Modern diets make imbalance increasingly likely, symptoms are often subtle and more is not always better. When we combine symptoms, diet and results from testing, confusion tends to fall away and the next steps become clearer.

My Get Empowered programme offers personalised support using advanced genetic and functional testing to identify root causes, restore balance and help your immune system find stability. Healing isn’t about restriction; it’s about giving your body what it truly needs. If you’re ready to stop guessing and start healing, book a free call today. Let’s get to the root of your symptoms - so you can regain your energy, health and life. Book in for a free chat below.

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Tina Hancocks
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Why your blood sugar could be the missing link in your autoimmune journey