Metabolic health

Docosapentaenoic acid, omega-6 (DPA n-6)

n-6 DPA, Osbond acid, C22:5n-6

Included in Complete.

An omega-6 with a twin in the omega-3 family.

DPA n-6 is a long-chain omega-6 fatty acid that shares its name and chain length with DPA n-3 but belongs to a different family. Your body makes it from arachidonic acid, by way of adrenic acid.

Its link to DHA status is weaker in people than in animals.

In animal studies, a shortage of omega-3 fats leads the body to replace DHA with DPA n-6 in the brain and eye. That made DPA n-6 a classic research marker of omega-3 deficiency.

In people, the picture is less clear. A 2022 review found no sign of this swap in adult brain studies, even where DHA was lower, though it has been seen in some newborns. A higher DPA n-6 result is best read next to your DHA result.

Questions

What does a higher DPA n-6 result mean?

It may reflect more omega-6 activity relative to omega-3, especially if your DHA is low at the same time. Research in humans hasn't set a clear cut-off, so it's read with your other omega-3 and omega-6 results.

How is it different from DPA n-3?

The two have the same chain length and the same number of double bonds. DPA n-3 comes from the omega-3 pathway, and DPA n-6 comes from the omega-6 pathway, so they reflect different parts of your diet and metabolism.

Sources and references