Omega-6 Total
Total omega-6 measures the sum of omega-6 fatty acids in blood — including linoleic acid, arachidonic acid, and other members of this essential fatty acid family. While omega-6s are necessary for health, modern diets provide them in vast excess, contributing to inflammation and chronic disease when omega-3 intake is inadequate.
Omega-6 fatty acids have an image problem — they’re often portrayed as uniformly “bad” fats that should be minimized. The reality is more nuanced. Omega-6s are genuinely essential fatty acids that your body cannot synthesize. You need them for cell membrane structure, brain function, skin health, and immune responses. The problem isn’t omega-6 itself; it’s the unprecedented excess in modern diets combined with inadequate omega-3 intake.
The omega-6 family includes several fatty acids with different sources and functions:
Linoleic acid (LA) is the dominant dietary omega-6, found abundantly in vegetable oils (soybean, corn, sunflower, safflower). It’s the parent omega-6 that your body converts to longer-chain members. LA alone has increased from about 2-3% of calories in traditional diets to 7-8% or more in modern Western diets.
Gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) is an intermediate in LA metabolism, found in evening primrose oil, borage oil, and black currant seed oil. Interestingly, GLA has anti-inflammatory properties despite being an omega-6.
Dihomo-gamma-linolenic acid (DGLA) is another intermediate that produces both pro- and anti-inflammatory eicosanoids.
Arachidonic acid (AA) is the end product of omega-6 metabolism and the primary substrate for pro-inflammatory eicosanoid production. Found preformed in meat, poultry, and eggs, or synthesized from LA.
Total omega-6 testing sums all these fatty acids, revealing your overall omega-6 status. Combined with omega-3 testing, it provides a complete picture of your essential fatty acid balance and inflammatory potential.
Key Benefits of Testing
Total omega-6 testing quantifies what dietary surveys suggest — that most people consuming Western diets have omega-6 levels far exceeding historical norms. This objective measurement confirms whether you’re part of this pattern or an exception.
For understanding your inflammatory balance, omega-6 testing provides the other half of the equation. The omega-6/omega-3 ratio requires knowing both values. Isolated omega-3 testing doesn’t reveal whether your omega-6 intake is also contributing to imbalance. Testing both families gives the complete picture.
For those trying to reduce omega-6 intake, testing provides objective feedback. Switching from soybean to olive oil, eating less processed food, choosing grass-fed over grain-fed meat — these changes should lower omega-6 levels. Testing shows whether your dietary modifications are actually working at the biological level.
For comprehensive fatty acid profiling, total omega-6 is one component of panels that also report individual fatty acids (LA, AA, GLA, DGLA), omega-3s, ratios, and other metrics. This detailed breakdown reveals which specific fatty acids are high or low, guiding targeted interventions.
For vegetarians and vegans who may be consuming high amounts of omega-6-rich plant oils without the omega-3 benefits of fish, testing can reveal whether their fatty acid balance has become problematic despite an otherwise healthy diet.
What Does Total Omega-6 Measure?
Total omega-6 measures the sum of all omega-6 fatty acids in a blood sample, typically expressed as a percentage of total fatty acids or as an absolute concentration.
Component Fatty Acids
Linoleic acid (LA, 18:2n-6): The most abundant dietary omega-6. An 18-carbon fatty acid with two double bonds. Found in vegetable oils, nuts, and seeds. Comprises the majority of total omega-6 in most people’s blood. Essential — you must consume some, but modern diets provide far more than needed.
Gamma-linolenic acid (GLA, 18:3n-6): An intermediate formed from LA by the enzyme delta-6 desaturase. Found in evening primrose, borage, and black currant seed oils. Interestingly, supplemental GLA has anti-inflammatory effects in some conditions.
Dihomo-gamma-linolenic acid (DGLA, 20:3n-6): A 20-carbon intermediate that can be converted to either anti-inflammatory series-1 prostaglandins or to arachidonic acid. Represents a metabolic branch point.
Arachidonic acid (AA, 20:4n-6): The most biologically active omega-6, a 20-carbon fatty acid with four double bonds. Direct precursor to pro-inflammatory eicosanoids (prostaglandins, leukotrienes, thromboxanes). Found preformed in animal foods or synthesized from LA.
Sample Types
Red blood cell (RBC) membrane: Reflects longer-term intake (2-3 months). Fatty acids incorporate into RBC membranes during cell formation and remain stable over the cell’s lifespan. Most reliable for assessing chronic status.
Plasma/serum: More variable, reflecting recent intake (days to weeks). Useful for tracking short-term changes.
Whole blood: Combination of RBC and plasma. Dried blood spot testing offers convenience for some testing platforms.
Individual vs. Total Values
Total omega-6 provides an overview, but individual fatty acid values offer more actionable information:
High total with high LA, normal AA: Suggests high vegetable oil consumption but not necessarily high inflammatory potential (LA itself is not directly inflammatory).
High total with high AA: Indicates elevated inflammatory potential — AA directly produces inflammatory mediators.
Moderate total with balanced composition: May be acceptable, especially if omega-3 status is also good.
Why Total Omega-6 Matters
The Omega-6 Explosion in Modern Diets
Few dietary changes in human history match the scale of omega-6 increase over the past century. Several factors converged:
Vegetable oil industrialization: Technology to extract and refine seed oils (soybean, corn, cottonseed, sunflower) made these previously minor dietary components into dominant cooking fats. Soybean oil alone now provides approximately 20% of calories in the American diet.
Processed food proliferation: Processed foods use cheap vegetable oils extensively — for frying, as ingredients, in dressings and sauces. Someone eating primarily processed foods consumes vastly more omega-6 than their grandparents did.
Animal feeding practices: Grain-fed animals (corn and soy-based feeds) produce meat, milk, and eggs with higher omega-6 content than pasture-raised counterparts.
Margarine promotion: For decades, omega-6-rich margarine was promoted as heart-healthy replacement for butter. While trans fat concerns later complicated this message, the push increased omega-6 consumption.
The result: linoleic acid intake has more than doubled or tripled from historical levels, with some estimates suggesting increases from 2-3% to 7-8% of total calories.
The Balance Problem
Omega-6 fatty acids aren’t inherently harmful — they’re essential nutrients required for health. The problem emerges when:
Omega-6 vastly exceeds omega-3: Both fatty acid families compete for the same metabolic enzymes. Excessive omega-6 “crowds out” omega-3 metabolism and produces predominantly pro-inflammatory eicosanoids.
Arachidonic acid accumulates: While LA is not directly inflammatory, it converts to AA, which produces inflammatory mediators. High omega-6 intake over time elevates tissue AA levels.
Resolution mechanisms are impaired: Without adequate omega-3-derived resolvins and protectins, inflammation initiated by AA-derived mediators fails to resolve properly, contributing to chronic low-grade inflammation.
Not All Omega-6s Are Equal
It’s important to understand the nuances within the omega-6 family:
Linoleic acid: The parent omega-6 and most abundant in diet. Its direct health effects are debated — some studies suggest LA itself isn’t harmful and may even have cardiovascular benefits at moderate intake. The concern is more about excessive intake and downstream conversion to AA.
GLA and DGLA: These intermediates have interesting and sometimes beneficial properties. GLA supplementation (evening primrose oil, borage oil) has shown benefits for some skin conditions and rheumatoid arthritis — somewhat paradoxically for an omega-6.
Arachidonic acid: The primary concern. AA directly produces inflammatory eicosanoids. Elevated tissue AA correlates with inflammatory diseases. The AA/EPA ratio captures this specific concern.
What Can Affect Omega-6 Levels?
Factors That Increase Omega-6
Vegetable oils: The primary driver. Soybean, corn, sunflower, safflower, cottonseed, and grapeseed oils are very high in linoleic acid. These oils dominate processed food, restaurant cooking, and many home kitchens.
Processed and packaged foods: Most contain vegetable oils. Chips, crackers, baked goods, frozen meals, salad dressings, sauces — nearly all add omega-6.
Fried foods: Typically prepared in omega-6-rich oils, and the frying process can increase consumption substantially.
Grain-fed animal products: Meat, eggs, and dairy from animals fed corn and soy contain more omega-6 than pasture-raised alternatives.
Most nuts and seeds: While nutritious, most nuts (except walnuts and macadamia) are omega-6 dominant. Sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, and their oils are particularly high.
Poultry: Chicken and turkey (especially dark meat and skin) contain moderate amounts of arachidonic acid.
Factors That Decrease Omega-6
Switching cooking oils: Using olive oil, avocado oil, coconut oil, or butter instead of soybean/corn oil reduces omega-6 intake substantially.
Reducing processed foods: Cooking from whole ingredients avoids the hidden vegetable oils in packaged foods.
Choosing grass-fed/pasture-raised: These animal products have better fatty acid profiles with less omega-6.
Limiting fried foods: Especially those fried in vegetable oils.
Eating whole foods: Fresh fruits, vegetables, legumes, and whole grains contain relatively little omega-6 compared to processed foods.
Genetic and Metabolic Factors
FADS1/FADS2 polymorphisms: Genetic variants affect conversion of LA to AA. Some individuals are “hyperconverters” who produce more AA from dietary LA; others are “hypoconverters.” This affects how much dietary omega-6 translates into inflammatory AA.
Delta-6 desaturase activity: This rate-limiting enzyme converts LA toward AA. Its activity varies with genetics, nutritional status (requires zinc, magnesium, B vitamins), and age (decreases with aging).
Understanding Your Results
Interpreting Total Omega-6
Total omega-6 is most meaningful when interpreted alongside omega-3 status and specific fatty acid breakdown:
High total omega-6: Suggests high vegetable oil and/or processed food consumption. The concern depends on composition — high LA alone is different from high AA. Consider the omega-6/omega-3 ratio for full context.
Moderate total omega-6: May be appropriate depending on individual circumstances. If omega-3 status is also good and the ratio is reasonable, moderate omega-6 isn’t necessarily problematic.
Low total omega-6: Unusual in modern diets. Could reflect very low-fat diet, specific dietary patterns, or malabsorption. Some omega-6 is necessary — too little could theoretically be problematic, though this is rare.
Component Analysis
Looking at individual fatty acids provides more insight:
High LA, moderate AA: High vegetable oil intake but efficient regulation is preventing excessive AA accumulation. Still worth addressing dietary sources.
High LA and high AA: Both dietary intake and metabolic conversion are contributing. Addressing omega-6 sources and increasing omega-3 to compete with AA conversion is indicated.
Normal LA, high AA: May reflect high direct AA intake (meat, eggs) rather than vegetable oil excess. Also could indicate efficient LA→AA conversion genetics.
The Ratio Context
Total omega-6 means most in context of omega-3 status:
High omega-6, low omega-3: Problematic combination — high inflammatory substrate with inadequate anti-inflammatory competition. Address both sides.
High omega-6, high omega-3: Better balance despite high omega-6. If the ratio is reasonable, inflammatory potential is mitigated.
Moderate omega-6, low omega-3: Ratio may still be unfavorable despite not-extreme omega-6. Adding omega-3 may be more impactful than reducing omega-6.
Health Connections
Cardiovascular Disease
Nuanced relationship: The cardiovascular effects of omega-6 are debated. Some evidence suggests LA may be neutral or even beneficial for heart disease. However, when omega-6 intake dramatically exceeds omega-3, the inflammatory balance shifts unfavorably. The ratio likely matters more than absolute omega-6 intake.
Inflammatory Conditions
Omega-6 and inflammation: Excessive omega-6, particularly AA, provides substrate for pro-inflammatory eicosanoid production. Conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, and asthma may be exacerbated by high omega-6/omega-3 ratios.
Obesity and Metabolic Syndrome
Evolving research: Some research links high omega-6 intake to increased fat tissue inflammation and metabolic dysfunction. Animal studies show dramatic differences in weight gain with high omega-6 vs. balanced fatty acid diets. Human evidence is less clear but suggests the fatty acid environment affects metabolic health.
Skin Health
LA is essential for skin: Linoleic acid is a component of skin ceramides and essential for skin barrier function. LA deficiency causes scaly skin and impaired wound healing. However, this requirement is easily met — deficiency is rare except in severe malnutrition or fat malabsorption.
Why Regular Testing Matters
Baseline testing reveals your current omega-6 status in the context of your dietary patterns. Combined with omega-3 testing, it shows your complete fatty acid picture.
Follow-up testing after dietary changes confirms whether modifications achieved the intended effect. Reducing vegetable oil consumption, switching to olive oil, cutting processed foods — testing shows if these changes translated to biological improvement.
Periodic monitoring may be valuable for:
Those actively modifying their fat intake: Confirming dietary changes are working at the biological level.
Those managing inflammatory conditions: Ensuring fatty acid balance supports rather than undermines treatment goals.
Those optimizing cardiovascular health: Complete fatty acid profiling alongside traditional lipid markers.
Vegetarians/vegans with high oil consumption: Ensuring plant-based diets aren’t inadvertently creating fatty acid imbalance.
Related Biomarkers Often Tested Together
Total Omega-3 — The other essential fatty acid family. Balance between omega-6 and omega-3 determines inflammatory potential.
Omega-6/Omega-3 Ratio — Directly shows the balance between these competing fatty acid families.
Linoleic Acid — The primary dietary omega-6, reported individually on comprehensive panels.
Arachidonic Acid — The most inflammatory omega-6, key for understanding inflammatory potential.
AA/EPA Ratio — The specific ratio of pro-inflammatory AA to anti-inflammatory EPA.
Omega-3 Index — EPA + DHA status. Complements omega-6 testing for complete picture.
Note: Information provided in this article is for educational purposes and doesn’t replace personalized medical advice.
Frequently Asked Questions
No — omega-6 fatty acids are essential nutrients that your body requires. The goal is balance, not elimination. Reducing excessive omega-6 from vegetable oils and processed foods while ensuring adequate omega-3 intake achieves a healthier ratio without creating omega-6 deficiency. Some omega-6 is necessary for skin health, immune function, and cell membrane integrity.
This is debated. Linoleic acid itself is not directly inflammatory — it’s the conversion to arachidonic acid that produces inflammatory mediators. Some research suggests LA may have neutral or even beneficial cardiovascular effects. The concern is more about excessive intake and the ratio to omega-3 than LA being inherently harmful. Moderation rather than elimination is the evidence-based approach.
Several factors converged: industrial seed oil production made vegetable oils cheap and abundant; dietary guidelines promoted them as heart-healthy alternatives to saturated fats; processed food manufacturers used them extensively; and grain-fed livestock increased omega-6 in animal products. These changes happened over decades, making the modern omega-6 excess seem normal.
Olive oil is an excellent choice — high in monounsaturated fat (oleic acid) with minimal omega-6 or omega-3. Avocado oil is similar. Coconut oil is very low in omega-6 but high in saturated fat. Butter has some omega-6 but far less than vegetable oils. The key is avoiding soybean, corn, sunflower, and safflower oils, which dominate omega-6 intake.
Testing omega-6 alongside omega-3 provides the complete picture. Someone with low omega-3 might have moderate omega-6 (not ideal but improvable mainly by adding omega-3) or very high omega-6 (requires addressing both sides of the equation). The ratio and individual components guide whether you need to add omega-3, reduce omega-6, or both.
References
Key Sources:
- Blasbalg TL, et al. Changes in consumption of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids in the United States during the 20th century. Am J Clin Nutr. 2011;93(5):950-962. https://doi.org/10.3945/ajcn.110.006643
- Simopoulos AP. An increase in the omega-6/omega-3 fatty acid ratio increases the risk for obesity. Nutrients. 2016;8(3):128. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu8030128
- Ramsden CE, et al. Use of dietary linoleic acid for secondary prevention of coronary heart disease and death: evaluation of recovered data from the Sydney Diet Heart Study. BMJ. 2013;346:e8707. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.e8707
- Innes JK, Calder PC. Omega-6 fatty acids and inflammation. Prostaglandins Leukot Essent Fatty Acids. 2018;132:41-48. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.plefa.2018.03.004
- Whelan J, Fritsche K. Linoleic acid. Adv Nutr. 2013;4(3):311-312. https://doi.org/10.3945/an.113.003772
