How to improve your ratios
The most common mistake is to think you need to cut omega-6. In practice, the fastest way to fix a poor ratio is to increase EPA+DHA — not to fight against omega-6.
Why "just cut omega-6" doesn't work
Linoleic acid (LA), the main omega-6 fatty acid in the Australian diet, is abundant in seed oils and woven into nearly every processed food on the shelf. Eliminating it is impractical for most people, and the science has moved on from the simple "omega-6 is inflammatory" framing of the 2000s.
Recent reviews (Innes & Calder, 2018) and the pooled cohort analysis by Marklund et al. (2019, Circulation) found that higher circulating LA was actually associated with lower cardiovascular event rates — not higher. LA itself isn't the villain it was framed as.
What matters more is the downstream metabolite. Arachidonic acid (AA, made from LA) competes with EPA for the same enzymes — cyclooxygenase (COX) and lipoxygenase (LOX). Raising EPA is what shifts the inflammatory balance. Lowering LA, on its own, barely moves the dial.
The biology in one paragraph
EPA and AA both feed into eicosanoid pathways. AA-derived eicosanoids — PGE2, LTB4 — drive inflammation. EPA-derived eicosanoids — PGE3, LTB5 — are weakly inflammatory and actively support the resolution phase. Raise EPA, and you produce more resolution-side eicosanoids. The ratio between AA and EPA on your blood report reflects this balance directly.
Practical steps to improve your ratios
- Increase EPA+DHA intake — this is the most effective lever. Either oily fish 2–3 times a week, or a supplement providing roughly 1,000–2,000 mg/day total EPA+DHA.
- Prioritise EPA-rich sources if your AA:EPA ratio is the issue. Sardines, anchovies, and EPA-concentrated supplements are the most efficient way to lift EPA specifically.
- Choose extra-virgin olive oil over seed oils when you cook — not because seed oils are toxic, but because olive oil is mostly monounsaturated and doesn't add to your LA load.
- Reduce ultra-processed foods — they're high in LA from refined seed oils and often carry trans fats too.
- Be patient. Ratios reflect the past 3–4 months of intake (red blood cell membrane turnover). Retest at the 3–4 month mark to see real change.
What good looks like
| Marker | Optimal | Elevated |
|---|---|---|
| Omega-6 : Omega-3 ratio | 3:1 – 5:1 | > 5:1 |
| AA : EPA ratio | 2.5:1 – 11:1 | > 11:1 |
A common misconception
"I supplement EPA+DHA but my ratio is still high."
If you're at the lower end of supplement doses — for example, 300 mg/day from a single standard fish oil capsule — it may simply not be enough to move the needle against your LA intake. The dose has to scale to the gap.
Calculate your gap with the omega-3 calculator, increase the dose, and retest after 3–4 months.
Keep learning
Test your ratios
Omega-3 Plus Ratios measures your Omega-3 Index alongside the omega-6 : omega-3 and AA:EPA ratios — the full inflammatory balance picture from a single finger-prick.
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