Fatty Acid Profiles

Frequentaly asked questions

Fatty Acids

1. What is the minimum specimen requirement for this test?

• Plasma – 1mL
• Whole Blood – 7mL
• Bloodspot – 4 spots filled completely to the dotted lines and soaked through to both sides.

2. How long do I have once the specimen is collected to get it to the laboratory? (Please see proper specimen storage under the “Shipping” section)

• Plasma – within 4 days of collection
• Whole blood – within 7 days of collection
• Bloodspot – within 11 days of collection

3. My bloodspot test went outside of the circles on the collection card, is this okay?
Yes. As long as you have filled the circles and the blood has soaked through to both sides, it does not matter if the specimen goes outside of the lines.

4. What are essential fatty acids (EFA)?
Fatty acids are the break-down products of fats. Certain fatty acids are required by the body yet are not produced by the cells. They are termed essential and must be provided by the diet. There are two families of essential fatty acids, omega-3's (EPA, DHA, ALA) and omega-6's (LA, GLA, AA). EFA's are provided by foods such as flax seed, fish, vegetable oils, nuts, seeds, meats and are necessary for many vital and protective functions in the body.

5. What are trans fats and why are they bad for you?
Trans fats are hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils found in many baked food products such as breads, crackers, cookies, doughnuts, as well as peanut butter and fried foods, such as french fries. The terms “partially hydrogenated vegetable oil” on food labels indicates that a natural oil has been chemically modified. In human tissues, trans unsaturated fat behaves as if it were saturated, leading to higher risk of heart disease and adverse impact on HDL or LDL cholesterol.

6. What is the difference between the plasma and whole blood fatty acid profiles?
Plasma fatty acids are more influenced by recent dietary intake, as well as total caloric intake and stored fatty acids.

Red blood cell (RBC) fatty acid profiling is most commonly used to determine the presence of long term insufficiencies and imbalances. It measures total concentrations of individual fatty acids. RBC data are generally preferred for assessing overall body status of fatty acids, because the levels reflect those present in most tissues.