Essential Fatty Acids: Are You Getting the Right Balance of Omega-3, Omega-6, and C15:0?

You’ve probably heard of omega-3s. But what about omega-6s—or C15:0? If you’re not sure what these fatty acids do, where to get them, or whether you need a supplement, you’re not alone.

Honestly, I struggle to keep it all straight. And social media doesn’t help—especially with all the fearmongering about seed oils. So I did some research and here’s what I found.

Right up front: You need omega-3s, omega-6s, and likely C15:0 to help your body function at its best. Getting the right mix can impact everything from inflammation to brain clarity to how well you age.

This article is your quick-start guide: what each fatty acid does, why the balance matters, how to tell if you need a supplement—and how Haskill can help.

What Are Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs)?

Essential fatty acids are just what they sound like—essential. Your body can’t make them, so you have to get them from food (or smart supplementation). The three main ones are Omega-3s, Omega-6s and C:15:0.  They play a huge role in everything from how your brain functions to how your joints feel, how your skin looks, and how well your body keeps inflammation in check.

Omega-3 (DHA, EPA, and ALA) 🔗

“Research shows that some 95% of kids and 68% of adults don’t meet recommended levels of omega-3s. That’s a big gap for something so important to heart, brain, and joint health.” 

Omega-3s are polyunsaturated fats found in cell membranes throughout your body—especially in your brain, eyes, and heart—and are responsible for supporting anti-inflammatory pathways, brain function, and cardiovascular health.

They do this by:

• Keeping brain cell membranes fluid and flexible
• Reducing triglycerides (which helps maintain flexible, healthy blood vessels)
• Balancing immune responses to help calm chronic inflammation.

The Three Omega-3s You Should Know:

• DHA (docosahexaenoic acid – This is a major building block of your brain and retina. It’s found in fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, sardines, and also in algae oil (a vegan source).
• EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) – This is the anti-inflammatory powerhouse. It’s found in the same fatty fish and algae, and plays a key role in mood, joint health, and heart function.
• ALA (alpha-linolenic acid) – A plant-based omega-3 found in flaxseeds, chia seeds, walnuts, and hemp hearts. Your body can convert ALA into EPA and DHA, but the conversion rate is low (often less than 10%).
  • That’s why getting EPA and DHA directly from fish or algae is so important.

Recommended Daily Intake:

• 500–1000 mg EPA + DHA per day for general health
• Up to 2000–3000 mg for targeted support (inflammation, heart health, etc.)
• For ALA: around 1.1 g/day for women and 1.6 g/day for men

Omega-6 (Linoleic Acid) 🔗

“The problem isn’t omega-6 itself—it’s how much of it we’re eating without even realizing it.” 

Omega-6s are also polyunsaturated fats built into your cell membranes and start the inflammation process when needed (like after an injury).

• Linoleic Acid (LA) – The primary omega-6 fat found in vegetable oils, nuts, and seeds. Your body uses it to produce arachidonic acid (AA), which can lead to inflammatory or anti-inflammatory compounds depending on your overall fatty acid balance.

So What Is the Controversy?  

The problem isn’t omega-6 itself—it’s how much we get from fried and processed foods cooked in seed oils combined with the inadequate amount of Omega-3s we need to help regulate the inflammatory response.

Recommended Ratio (Not Amount) 🔗:

Instead of a hard number, most experts suggest aiming for a 4:1 or even 2:1 ratio of omega-6 to omega-3. But thanks to processed foods, most people are closer to 15:1 or 20:1.🥴

That means for every 4 mg of omega-6, you want at least 1 mg of omega-3. It’s not the other way around—because with today’s food system, getting more omega-3 than omega-6 is nearly impossible.

Let’s provide a realistic example swap that, while it isn’t perfect, you are definitely moving in the right direction.

Swap Fried chicken and a side of fries (20:0) ———> Blackened Salmon and a side of fries. (4:1)

Obviously not ordering the fries is ideal, but at least you are getting a great source of DHA/EPA to balance out the omega-6s in the seed oil the fries were cooked in.

Just a reminder: the goal isn’t to pile omega-3s on top of a high omega-6 diet—it’s to bring both into a better balance.

C15:0 (Pentadecanoic Acid) 🔗

“C15:0, I’m almost confident, is just going to be the first of a whole new age of essential nutrients that we never knew about but are able to find now.” -Dr. Stephanie Venn-Watson, founder of Fatty-15

C15:0 is a newer contender in the world of essential fats. While it hasn’t officially earned the “essential” title (yet), research is quickly building. Found in trace amounts in full-fat dairy and some fish, C15:0 is showing promise as a key nutrient for cell strength, mitochondrial health, and graceful aging.

How it works:

• Strengthens and stabilizes cell membranes
• Improves mitochondrial function (aka your cells’ energy production)
• May reduce chronic, low-grade inflammation
• Has potential links to mood support, metabolic health, and healthy aging

Why it’s on the radar:
Modern diets are lower in C15:0 than ever—largely because we’ve cut back on whole-fat dairy. Some researchers now think this may be part of why chronic conditions tied to aging are on the rise.

Recommended Daily Intake:

• 100 mg per day to support baseline cellular and mitochondrial health.
• From food alone, this would be 4–5 tablespoons of butter or 4 cups of whole milk daily.
• If you are dairy free, you need to supplement.

Supplementation 

Here are a few signs your body might need to consider supplementation:

• You don’t eat fatty fish at least twice a week (7–10 oz total).
• You follow a plant-based diet without algae oil.
• You consume a lot of processed foods and seed oils.
• You’re pregnant, breastfeeding, or over 50.
• You follow a dairy-free or low-fat diet, which may limit your C15:0 intake.

What to Look for in a Supplement

Omega-3 supplements should:

• Clearly list EPA and DHA amounts
• Come from clean, traceable fish or algae sources
• Be 3rd-party tested for purity (no fishy burps or sketchy fillers)

C15:0 supplements should:

• 3rd party tested for purity and freshness
• Low-dose formulas (~100 mg/day) so you can manage your intake levels
• Honestly, Fatty-15 is the only product currently available on the market.

Omega-6:  Because our diets are more than likely overwhelmed with too much omega-6, supplementation is generally not necessary.

See Below for the Supplements we stand behind and offer at Haskill Creek

A Closing Analogy To Sum Up EFAs:

EFAs can be a lot to wrap your head around, so I thought a good analogy—especially one that fits our area—might help make it all click.

Think of essential fatty acids like managing a forest:

• Omega-6 is the controlled burn—it starts inflammation on purpose, like fire does in nature, to clear out damage or fight infection. But left unchecked, that fire can spread.
• Omega-3s are the firefighters—they step in to cool things down, resolve inflammation, and make sure the fire doesn't burn out of control.
• C15:0 is the forest ranger—quietly maintaining long-term health behind the scenes. It strengthens the trees (your cells), supports the ecosystem (your mitochondria), and helps the whole system stay resilient over time.

Without all three working together—and in the right amounts—the system can get out of balance. Too much fire (omega-6), not enough firefighters (omega-3), or no long-term upkeep (C15:0), and things start to break down.

It’s not about cutting one out—it’s about keeping the whole forest healthy.

Here are some of our favorite Omega-3 Supplements at Haskill Creek

General Wellness

• Thorne Super EPA: A balanced EPA/DHA formula ideal for daily use and foundational omega-3 support.
• Momentous Omega-3: NSF Certified for Sport and known for exceptional purity and high-dose EPA/DHA.

Heart & Brain Support

• Thorne Advanced DHA: Delivers a high DHA-to-EPA ratio, supporting brain aging and cardiovascular function.

Pregnancy & Fetal Development

• Thorne Prenatal DHA: Specifically formulated for pregnancy with higher DHA and added vitamin D.
• Fresh Field Prenatal Vegan Omega: A vegan-friendly option for expecting mothers, sourced from algae.

Plant-Based Diets

• Fresh Field Ocean Saving Vegan Omega:  Sustainably sourced, high-quality vegan DHA/EPA for daily plant-based omega support.

Athletic Performance

• Momentous Omega-3: Trusted by elite athletes for inflammation recovery, performance, and NSF certification.

C:15:0 

Fatty-15:  Offers a 99% pure, vegan-friendly C15:0 capsule—patented and science-backed—with typical dosing at 100 mg/day, allowing users to conveniently reach a level that's otherwise tough to hit through food alone