Essential omega-6 fatty acid
Quality and Security
High-quality testing run in a CLIA-certified and CAP-accredited lab in Santa Clara, California.
About Linoleic Acid (LA)
${ activeTab.tab_content.text }
Loading...
About Linoleic Acid (LA)
Overview and History
Linoleic acid (LA) is a C18:2 omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid and an essential nutrient because the body cannot make it de novo. Major dietary sources include vegetable oils (such as soybean, sunflower, and corn oil), nuts, and seeds. In blood tests, LA is measured as a free fatty acid or as part of complex lipids.
Biochemically, LA is a substrate for desaturation and elongation pathways that produce longer-chain omega-6 fatty acids and signaling eicosanoids. Its circulating level reflects recent intake, tissue exchange, and metabolic processing. Clinically, LA concentrations have been studied as markers of dietary pattern, membrane lipid composition, and shifts in lipid signaling that can relate to cardiometabolic biology when interpreted with other markers.
Interpreting Highs and Lows
Higher circulating LA may reflect greater dietary intake of omega-6–rich oils or altered fatty-acid handling and incorporation into lipids. Elevated LA can also signal an imbalance with omega-3 fatty acids, which affects the mix of downstream signaling molecules, though interpretation depends on the broader fatty-acid profile and clinical context.
Lower LA levels may indicate lower dietary intake, increased conversion to downstream metabolites, malabsorption, or metabolic shifts that change how fatty acids are stored or used. Low values are best interpreted alongside other lipid, inflammatory, and metabolic markers and genetic factors to understand overall cardiometabolic patterns.
Featured Test
Cardio Zoomer includes LA to characterize the quality of circulating fats and the balance of omega-6 versus omega-3 pathways. LA helps clarify how diet, metabolism, and lipid remodeling influence membrane composition and inflammatory signaling, providing context that supports personalized assessment of cardiometabolic and vascular patterns.
Related Articles
Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death worldwide, yet most testing still focuses on surface-level metrics like total cholesterol or...
What do you think of when you hear the term “cardiovascular disease?” Most people immediately think of high cholesterol, but cardiovascular risk goes ...
A common theme among many of my nutrition clients is that despite eating well, staying active, and managing stress, they feel worn down, inflamed, and...
When it comes to cardiovascular disease (CVD), many people immediately think of high cholesterol. High cholesterol—a specific type of dyslipidemia or ...
Results trusted by over 18,000 functional wellness professionals
We’re the leading provider of specialty wellness lab testing because we develop our testing with rigorous, ongoing research by top clinical experts, doctors, and scientists.
-1.png?width=542&height=427&name=shutterstock_2371998817%201%20(1)-1.png)
.png?width=207&height=108&name=Group%201410104259%20(1).png)
The gold standard of accuracy in the lab industry
Our tests run on a proprietary 3Dense microchip technology platform that boasts unrivaled specificity and sensitivity. While most other labs carry only CLIA certification, we're CAP-accredited by the College of American Pathologists.
.png?width=487&height=356&name=Frame%201410104197%20(3).png)
.png?width=187&height=63&name=category%20Card%20text%20(1).png)
.png?width=202&height=63&name=category%20Card%20text%20(2).png)
Mary Beth Augustine
DCN, RDN, FAND- Lead Clinical Educator
Suzanne Barker
MS, RDN, LD, CTTS, CGP- Clinical Educator
Suzette Garcia
MSc- MHNE- Clinical Educator
Brooke Mader Ganev
MS, CNS, LDN, FDN- Clinical Educator
Adair Anderson
MS, RDN, LDN- Clinical Educator
Lillie Luu Nguyen
DCN, CNS, LDN- Clinical Educator
Jason Barker
ND- Clinical Educator
Emaline Brown
ND- Clinical Educator
Dana Filatova
DCN, CNS, LDN- Clinical Educator
Jessy Dhanjal
ND- Clinical Educator
Nour Amri
MS, LDN, CNS, CKNS- Clinical Educator
