A fatty-acid profile shows the distribution of saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids, including omega-6 and omega-3. From the profile the laboratory calculates numbers such as the omega-6:3 ratio, the Omega-3 Index and the AA:EPA ratio.
The profile is a snapshot of the last few months. It says a lot about the fat balance in your diet, but nothing about causes or diagnoses.
You get the most out of it when you compare two profiles: one before and one after a change.
Sources
- [source pending] Source needed: validation of dried blood spot fatty-acid analysis against venous samples
- [source pending] Source needed: textbook or review on how dietary fatty acids are incorporated into cell membrane phospholipids