How to know if your a poor EFA converter

In the arachidonic acid section of the Vitamins and Minerals 101 Premium forum, Juliet asks "What tests are available to know whether you are a poor converter?" Disclaimer: I am not a medical doctor and this is not medical advice. Condensed answer (see video for details): Any full fatty acid profile will give you linoleic acid, arachidonic acid, alpha-linolenic acid, and DHA, as well as other relevant fatty acids such as EPA, GLA, DGLA, and so on. OmegaQuant (complete version) is best because it measures these in phospholipids, but most major labs offer fatty acid profiles, including the Genova ION plus 40, which is my preferred default biochemical and nutritional profile. Accumulation of the precursors (linoleic acid and arachidonic acid) at the expense of the endproducts (DHA and arachidonic acid) suggests poor conversion. However, the list of things affecting poor conversion is long (genetics; diabetes; insulin resistance; inadequate protein, calories, or carbs; inadequate biotin, B6, riboflavin, calcium, or zinc; sugar; reheated vegetable oils, too much total PUFA or an imbalance between omega-3 and omega-6), so I prefer simply aiming for the upper end of the ranges of the endproducts and consuming them directly in the diet. Here are the Cliff Notes discussed in the episode: https://chris-masterjohn-phd.myshopify.com/products/the-vitamins-and-minerals-101-cliff-notes

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