What's this test for?

This test is ideal if you're concerned about your heart health, brain function, or want to understand how your diet is affecting your overall wellness. It helps identify imbalances in essential fatty acids that can impact cardiovascular health, cognitive function, inflammation levels, and mood. Many people use this test to optimize their nutrition, especially if they're experiencing brain fog, joint discomfort, or want to ensure their diet supports long-term heart and brain health.

What happens after I get my results?

You'll receive detailed doctor notes in simple language explaining what your fatty acid levels mean for your heart, brain, and overall inflammation. These notes include personalized recommendations like dietary adjustments, omega-3 supplementation suggestions, and which fatty acid ratios to optimize. You'll also get the standard lab report and can track your fatty acid levels over time using our trends feature to see how dietary changes are improving your health.

What's included in this test?

This panel measures a comprehensive range of essential fatty acids from C12 through C22, including omega-3, omega-6, and saturated fatty acids. These measurements help evaluate your cardiovascular risk, inflammatory balance, and how well your diet is providing the fats your brain and body need. Together, these fatty acids reveal whether you're getting the right balance of healthy fats to support heart health, reduce inflammation, and optimize cognitive function.

How should I prepare for this test?

You should fast for 9-12 hours before your blood draw, meaning no food or drinks except water. Also avoid consuming alcohol for 24 hours prior to your test. This preparation helps ensure accurate measurements of your fatty acid levels without interference from recent meals.

Who should consider getting this test?

This test is valuable for anyone concerned about heart disease, those following specific diets like keto or vegan, or people taking omega-3 supplements who want to verify they're effective. It's also useful if you have a family history of cardiovascular disease, experience chronic inflammation, struggle with mood issues, or simply want to optimize your nutritional balance for long-term health.

What symptoms indicate I may need this test?

Consider this test if you're experiencing brain fog, difficulty concentrating, memory issues, or mood changes like depression or anxiety. Physical signs include dry skin, brittle nails, joint stiffness or pain, frequent inflammation, or concerns about your cholesterol and heart health. These symptoms can indicate fatty acid imbalances that affect everything from your cardiovascular system to your brain function.

How can I naturally improve my fatty acid balance?

Include more omega-3 rich foods like fatty fish (salmon, mackerel, sardines), walnuts, flaxseeds, and chia seeds in your diet. Balance your omega-6 intake by reducing processed foods and vegetable oils while using olive oil or avocado oil instead. Consider eating a variety of nuts, seeds, and fatty fish at least twice weekly, and if you're plant-based, algae-based omega-3 supplements can help fill nutritional gaps.

What are essential fatty acids and why do they matter?

Essential fatty acids are fats your body can't produce on its own, so you must get them from food. The two main types are omega-3s and omega-6s, which play crucial roles in brain function, heart health, inflammation control, and cell membrane structure. When these fatty acids are balanced properly, they support cardiovascular health, reduce chronic inflammation, improve mood and cognitive function, and help your body function optimally.

What does an imbalanced omega-6 to omega-3 ratio mean?

Most people consume too much omega-6 relative to omega-3, often from processed foods and vegetable oils. This imbalance promotes inflammation in the body, which can increase your risk for heart disease, joint problems, mood disorders, and other chronic conditions. The ideal ratio is closer to 4:1 or lower, but many Western diets have ratios as high as 15:1 or 20:1.

How often should I retest my fatty acid levels?

If you're making dietary changes or starting supplementation, retest in 3-4 months to see how your levels are responding. Once your fatty acids are balanced and stable, annual testing is typically sufficient for monitoring. If you have cardiovascular disease, chronic inflammation, or are managing specific health conditions, your healthcare provider may recommend more frequent testing every 6 months.

Getting your blood test with us is easy, private & backed by the power of science.Long story short: In the test options, use the filters or search box to narrow your choices and find the test you want. If you need a hand navigating through options, text our super friendly support team at 754-799-7833, and we'll provide tailored suggestions to help you find the ideal test. Once your order is placed, we’ll create your doctor’s lab order remotely, without any need for you to make a trip to a doctor in person or to talk to the doctor. Expect to receive your doctor’s lab order right in your inbox. It will also be in your patient portal if you need to find it later. We’ll also include instructions regarding fasting and other requirements for your test. Your patient portal will be auto-created hassle-free during checkout. If this is your first time ordering, you'll be prompted to create a password for instant login access to your patient portal. It's a quick way to conveniently access your orders and results whenever you want. When you’re ready, visit one of our 4,000 locations. Just bring your ID – no printing or faxing of your lab order is needed, as your order and details will already be in the lab system. Note that most lab locations don’t accept walk-ins, so it’s best to book an appointment in advance. Don’t worry – we’ll provide detailed instructions along the way. You’ll get your results via email & SMS and dive into understanding your body better. Yup, that easy! If you have any questions, please text us at 754-799-7833 or email support@privatemdlabs.com and we'll gladly help you.

How do I know which test to get?

In the test options, find the test you want. If you’re not sure which test to get, we can lend a hand in finding the right option. Just text or call us at 754-799-7833, email us at support@privatemdlabs.com, and we'll gladly help you. We've got your back and reply quickly.

When will my lab results be available?

Most test results will be available within 1–3 business days. Once they're ready, we'll send an email and text message to let you know. After your blood draw, just hang tight and don't worry – we'll keep you updated and in the loop! If you have any further questions, please text us at 754-799-7833 or email support@privatemdlabs.com, and we'll gladly help you.

Is it possible to make changes to my lab order if I made a mistake with the name, date of birth, or any other details?

Absolutely! We totally understand that errors can happen. No worries, we're here to help you. Just reach out to us via text at 754-799-7833 or shoot us an email at support@privatemdlabs.com. Remember to include your order number and let us know the correct information you’d like to update. Our awesome team will jump right in and make sure everything is sorted out and accurate for you. There are no changes necessary if your address is wrong on the requisition though. We don’t mail anything out. Our lab requires an address to be listed to generate an order.

Do you accept health insurance?

Only HSA & FSA is accepted. Our services are strictly self-pay and cannot be submitted to your health insurance provider except for Health Savings Accounts or Flexible Savings Accounts. This policy applies to all insurance companies, including federal health insurance programs like Medicare. If you have any questions, please text us at 754-799-7833 or email support@privatemdlabs.com.

Can I cancel my order?

Yes. We get it – sometimes your needs change. As long as your samples haven’t been collected yet, we’re happy to help you cancel your order. If you have any further questions, please text us at 754-799-7833 or email support@privatemdlabs.com. You can read more about our cancellation policy here.

How can I find a lab location near me?

During the ordering process, you’ll be able to select a specific lab near you, with no strings attached! You can switch it up later easily and visit any of our authorized locations as long as it’s the same lab company you selected your test for (Quest Diagnostics or Labcorp). Before you proceed with your order, feel free to browse through all our lab locations here. This will give you the peace of mind of knowing that there's a lab nearby your home, office or your favorite gym. If you have any questions, please text us at 754-799-7833 or email support@privatemdlabs.com and we'll gladly help you.

Essential Fatty Acid Test - Heart & Brain Health

Getting your blood test with us is easy, private & backed by the power of science.

Long story short:

In the test options, use the filters or search box to narrow your choices and find the test you want.
If you need a hand navigating through options, text our super friendly support team at 754-799-7833, and we'll provide tailored suggestions to help you find the ideal test.
Once your order is placed, we’ll create your doctor’s lab order remotely, without any need for you to make a trip to a doctor in person or to talk to the doctor. Expect to receive your doctor’s lab order right in your inbox. It will also be in your patient portal if you need to find it later. We’ll also include instructions regarding fasting and other requirements for your test. Your patient portal will be auto-created hassle-free during checkout.
If this is your first time ordering, you'll be prompted to create a password for instant login access to your patient portal. It's a quick way to conveniently access your orders and results whenever you want.
When you’re ready, visit one of our 4,000 locations. Just bring your ID – no printing or faxing of your lab order is needed, as your order and details will already be in the lab system.
Note that most lab locations don’t accept walk-ins, so it’s best to book an appointment in advance. Don’t worry – we’ll provide detailed instructions along the way.
You’ll get your results via email & SMS and dive into understanding your body better. Yup, that easy!

754-799-7833

[email protected]

Blood Test for Heart Health and Nutritional Balance

Fatty Acid Panel, Essential (C12-C22), Serum

90 day happiness guarantee

Prescription & fees included

Easy to understand results

Fast & convenient

90 day happiness guarantee

Prescription & fees included

Easy to understand results

Fast & convenient

What's this test for?

How should I prepare for this test?

What's included in this test?

Here’s why 1,000,000+ customers chose us for affordable hassle-free private blood testing.

Blood Test for Heart Health and Nutritional Balance

90 day happiness guarantee

Prescription & fees included

Easy to understand results

Fast & convenient

1,000,000+ blood tests later, here's what our customers say