Its elevated presence in the blood is an indication of essential fatty acid deficiency.

The first double bond is located at the ninth carbon from the omega end.

One study examined patients with intestinal fat malabsorption and suspected EFA deficiency; they were found to have blood-levels of mead acid about 13-fold higher than reference subjects.

This may be important in treating conditions where inhibition of bone formation is desired.

AA has the same chain length as Mead acid but an additional ω-6 double bond.