Metabolic health
Total omega-3 fatty acids (%)
Total n-3
Included in Complete.
Compare membershipsYour omega-3 intake, reflected in one number.
Total omega-3 adds up your omega-3 fats, such as ALA, EPA, DPA, and DHA, as a percentage of all fatty acids measured. Omega-3s are a family of fats your body can't make from scratch, so this calculated value mostly reflects your eating patterns.
Blood levels can show what food diaries miss.
Omega-3 fats come mostly from food. ALA is found in flaxseed, chia seeds, walnuts, and canola oil. EPA and DHA come mainly from fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel, herring, and sardines, and from fish oil or algal supplements.
The body converts only a small share of ALA into EPA and DHA. Two people with similar totals can have quite different amounts of long-chain omega-3s, so it's worth checking EPA and DHA too.
Questions
What does a lower total omega-3 result mean?
A lower result usually reflects lower intake of omega-3 foods or supplements. Experts haven't set standard normal ranges, so your result is compared with the lab's reference range and read with your diet and health history.
How quickly can it change?
Blood fatty acids shift as your diet changes, generally over weeks to a few months depending on the sample type. A clinician can help you decide whether repeat testing would be useful.