Used as a stable isotope-labeled tracer in metabolic studies to track the uptake, oxidation, and incorporation of fatty acids in biological systems. Enables precise analysis of lipid metabolism pathways, including beta-oxidation and lipoprotein dynamics, using mass spectrometry or NMR. Commonly applied in research on obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases to study fatty acid handling in cells, tissues, or whole organisms. Also employed in the synthesis of isotopically labeled complex lipids for use as internal standards in quantitative lipidomics.