Arachidonic Acid or ARA for short is a type of omega 6 fatty acid which is located in the phospholipids of human and animal body cells.
Arachidonic Acid or ARA for short is a type of omega 6 fatty acid which is located in the phospholipids of human and animal body cells.
ARA allows for the production of eicosanoids (these are signaling molecules that exert control over inflammatory and immunity pathways, therefore the greater the amount of ARA / arachidonic acid in the body the more eicosanoids are produced resulting in greater inflammation .
It is directly through the eicosanoids that produce the major benefits of ARA and its effects on body composition, anti-inflammatories are typically avoided when supplementing with this product because the negate the effects.
There are four subgroups of eicosanoids :
- Prostagladins
- Thromboxanes
- Lipoxins
- Leukotrienes
Increased production of eicosanoids leads to an increase in all of the above subgroups, but the only one that should be mainly effected for the benefits of this supplement are the prostaglandins, PGE2 and PGF2a bought upon by ARA supplementation stimulate muscle protein synthesis after a session of exercise.
You may be worried that promoting systemic inflammation is bad for health but ARA only increased localized inflammation of the muscle tissue where it is directed.
Omega 3 supplements and any foods high in omega 3 should be avoided or dosed separately when using ARA due to it being Omega 6 and the two fight for uptake.
The best way to take this supplement is 45 mins pre workout ideally on an empty stomach to ensure it gets directed into the muscle, the recommended dosage is 1g but studies have shown maximum effectiveness at a dose of 1.5 grams pre workout.
Two additional supplements can be used to increase uptake and improve absorption of ARA:
- Carnitine / L-Carnitine or ALCAR dosed at 2 grams
- Glycerol monostearate dosed at 6 grams
This product is best used on workout days only, it does not have to be used for rest days and should only be run for a maximum of 50 workout days due to studies not going on beyond this length of time. You would then have an additional 50 days off before commencing another cycle.
Note of caution (If you suffer from any inflammatory condition, ARA use may exacerbate the issue therefore its best to seek medical advice before beginning a cycle.)
If you are prone to sore joints, start at a lower dose 500mg - 750mg and work up only if ARA does not cause any issues. It may also be wise to avoid combining supplements that also promote sore joints.
This is a great natural anabolic that can promote gains of 1-2 pounds of lean mass per week whilst allowing you to reduce body fat, it is found in two products one is X-Gells made by SNS the other is X-Factor made by Molecular Nutrition.
