Optimal Result:
0.08 - 0.83 %.
Docosapentaenoic acid (DPA) is an omega-3 fatty acid with 22 carbons and five double bonds (22:5n3). It is formed from its precursor, EPA, by way of the elongase enzyme which adds two carbons. It can be supplemented or obtained in the diet from foods such as marine oily fish.
Not only is DPA found in most fish and marine foods but it is also present in lean red meat from ruminant animals.
DPA is often overlooked and overshadowed by the significant amount of research on its precursor EPA and downstream metabolite docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Both EPA and DHA are widely studied and commonly available as fish oil supplements. However, DPA is also found to have significant clinical importance. DPA inhibits cyclooxygenase-1 and is a potent inhibitor of platelet aggregation. It also has been shown to suppress lipogenesis to regulate lipolysis in favor of increased lipid oxidation for energy. It’s beneficial role in cardiovascular disease has also been studied. DPA can be retroconverted to EPA. Some research suggests that DPA can function as a reservoir or buffer of the other omega-3 fatty acids.
References:
- Miller E, Kaur G, Larsen A, et al. A short-term n-3 DPA supplementation study in humans. European journal of nutrition. 2013;52(3):895-904.
- Zheng Z, Dai Z, Cao Y, Shen Q, Zhang Y. Docosapentaenoic acid (DPA, 22: 5n-3) ameliorates inflammation in an ulcerative colitis model. Food & function. 2019;10(7):4199- 4209.
- Costea I, Mack DR, Lemaitre RN, et al. Interactions between the dietary polyunsaturated fatty acid ratio and genetic factors determine susceptibility to pediatric Crohn’s disease. Gastroenterology. 2014;146(4):929-931. e923.
- Leng G, Horrobin D, Fowkes F, et al. Plasma essential fatty acids, cigarette smoking, and dietary antioxidants in peripheral arterial disease. A population-based casecontrol study. Arteriosclerosis and thrombosis: a journal of vascular biology. 1994;14(3):471-478.
- Rissanen T, Voutilainen S, Nyyssönen K, Lakka TA, Salonen JT. Fish oil–derived fatty acids, docosahexaenoic acid and docosapentaenoic acid, and the risk of acute coronary events: the Kuopio ischaemic heart disease risk factor study. Circulation. 2000;102(22):2677-2679.
- Dyall SC. Long-chain omega-3 fatty acids and the brain: a review of the independent and shared effects of EPA, DPA and DHA. Frontiers in aging neuroscience. 2015;7:52.
- Saber H, Yakoob MY, Shi P, et al. Omega-3 fatty acids and incident ischemic stroke and its atherothrombotic and cardioembolic subtypes in 3 US cohorts. Stroke. 2017;48(10):2678-2685.
Lab Results Explained and Tracked
What does it mean if your Docosapentaenoic Acid (n6) result is too high?
Elevated DPA is seen with high intake of marine fish and other food sources, as well as with supplementation. High levels are less likely due to problems with downstream metabolism to DHA since it’s been shown to retro convert to EPA as a regulator and reservoir of the omega-3 fatty acids. DPA’s anti-inflammatory effects have been studied in many conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease, peripheral vascular disease, cardiovascular disease, cognitive decline, and stroke.
All Your Lab Results.
One Simple Dashboard.
Import, Track, and Share Your Lab Results Easily
Import, Track, and Share Your Lab Results
Import lab results from multiple providers, track changes over time, customize your reference ranges, and get clear explanations for each result. Everything is stored securely, exportable in one organized file, and shareable with your doctor—or anyone you choose.
Cancel or upgrade anytime
Article Review & Sources
All our content is backed by peer-reviewed studies, academic research, and trusted medical sources. We're committed to accuracy and transparency — see our editorial policy for details.
Laboratories
Bring All Your Lab Results Together — In One Place
We accept reports from any lab, so you can easily collect and organize all your health information in one secure spot.
Pricing Table
Gather Your Lab History — and Finally Make Sense of It
Finally, Your Lab Results Organized and Clear
Personal plans
$79/ year
Advanced Plan
Access your lab reports, explanations, and tracking tools.
- Import lab results from any provider
- Track all results with visual tools
- Customize your reference ranges
- Export your full lab history anytime
- Share results securely with anyone
- Receive 5 reports entered for you
- Cancel or upgrade anytime
$250/ once
Unlimited Account
Pay once, access everything—no monthly fees, no limits.
- Import lab results from any provider
- Track all results with visual tools
- Customize your reference ranges
- Export your full lab history anytime
- Share results securely with anyone
- Receive 10 reports entered for you
- No subscriptions. No extra fees.
$45/ month
Pro Monthly
Designed for professionals managing their clients' lab reports
- Import lab results from any provider
- Track lab results for multiple clients
- Customize reference ranges per client
- Export lab histories and reports
- Begin with first report entered by us
- Cancel or upgrade anytime
About membership
What's included in a Healthmatters membership
Import Lab Results from Any Source
See Your Health Timeline
Understand What Your Results Mean
Visualize Your Results
Data Entry Service for Your Reports
Securely Share With Anyone You Trust
Let Your Lab Results Tell the Full Story
Once your results are in one place, see the bigger picture — track trends over time, compare data side by side, export your full history, and share securely with anyone you trust.
Bring all your results together to compare, track progress, export your history, and share securely.
What Healthmatters Members Are Saying
I have been using Healthmatters.io since 2021. I travel all over the world and use different doctors and health facilities. This site has allowed me to consolidate all my various test results over 14 years in one place. And every doctor that I show this to has been impressed. Because with any health professional I talk to, I can pull up historical results in seconds. It is invaluable. Even going back to the same doctor, they usually do not have the historical results from their facility in a graph format. That has been very helpful.
Anthony
Unlimited Plan Member since 2021
What fantastic service and great, easy-to-follow layouts! I love your website; it makes it so helpful to see patterns in my health data. It's truly a pleasure to use. I only wish the NHS was as organized and quick as Healthmatters.io. You've set a new standard for health tracking!
Karin
Advanced Plan Member since 2020
As a PRO member and medical practitioner, Healthmatters.io has been an invaluable tool for tracking my clients' data. The layout is intuitive, making it easy to monitor trends and spot patterns over time. The ability to customize reports and charts helps me present information clearly to my clients, improving communication and outcomes. It's streamlined my workflow, saving me time and providing insights at a glance. Highly recommended for any practitioner looking for a comprehensive and user-friendly solution to track patient labs!
Paul
Healthmatters Pro Member since 2024
We implement proven measures to keep your data safe.
At HealthMatters, we're committed to maintaining the security and confidentiality of your personal information. We've put industry-leading security standards in place to help protect against the loss, misuse, or alteration of the information under our control. We use procedural, physical, and electronic security methods designed to prevent unauthorized people from getting access to this information. Our internal code of conduct adds additional privacy protection. All data is backed up multiple times a day and encrypted using SSL certificates. See our Privacy Policy for more details.
