Omega -3 & -6 Blood Test - More Information

The omega -3 and -6 blood test, also known as a polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) test, EPA test, omega-3 index test, arachidonic acid test and phospholipid omega-6 lab test, measures the omega -3 and omega -6 blood levels in addition to other related biomarkers.

Omega-3 is a type of fatty acid. Sometimes known as n-3 fatty acids, omega-3 fatty acids are a type of polyunsaturated fat (PUFA) found in plant oils, seeds, fish oil, eggs and krill oil. Omega-3 fatty acids and its types - alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) - are important for human metabolism. Omega-6 fatty acids are another type of PUFA and are important for reducing inflammation, particularly after periods in which cell damage might occur. One of the most well-known omega-6 fatty acids is linoleic acid.

The omega -3 and -6 blood test is used for a number of reasons. The lab test helps monitor people with cardiovascular disease (CVD). Also, it is useful in identifying people with low omega-3 levels who may be candidates for supplementation/therapy and for tracking levels in people taking omega-3 supplementation. The omega -3 and -6 test might also have a role in reducing risk in people with complications from CVD such as macular degeneration, rheumatoid arthritis and cancer. The omega blood test panel is often ordered with other cardiovascular screening markers such as the lipid panel test and the CRP test.

To get an omega -3 and -6 blood test near you, simply order online and get your blood drawn at a local Quest Diagnostics lab. Once your omega -3 and -6 lab results are ready, they will be available for download. As can be seen on the sample omega blood test results above, the omega -3 and -6 blood levels will be reported as numbers and can be compared against the reference ranges provided by the lab.