Arachidonic acid addition -the modern diet has plenty, except vegans may need supplements.

Evening primrose oil, borage oil or black currant seed oil have precursors for arachidonic acid.

Arachidonic acid is an omega 6 fatty acid that may be essential in tiny quantities based on extremely odd diets used on animals for the most part — so, normal modern diet conditions are different and tend towards excess not too little.

Arachidonic acid is also produced as a breakdown product of endocannabinoids during inflammation — so, many chronic conditions are associated with elevated levels of it. It becomes prostaglandins after being released from endocannabinoids during inflammatory signaling processes. Metabolites of arachidonic acid also can activate certain types of TRP ion channels.

Arachidonic acid and DHA are considered essential fatty acids.

“Oleic acid which contains a single double bond in the middle of a C₁₈ chain is one of the most abundant fatty acids. Other members of the series are found in smaller amounts as are a number of polyunsaturated fatty acids containing more than one double bond (Table 8.2). These include linoleic acid and arachidonic acid which, although present in relatively small amounts, are physiologically important. They cannot be synthesized in the body and must therefore be supplied in the diet (page 123). Hence they are known as essential fatty acids.” Lipids, (Cole, et al., 1988) viewable at (ScienceDirect/Oleic acid)

We can make oleic acid, the omega 9 precursor, but we cannot make the precursors for omega 6 arachidonic acid or omega 3 precursor of EPA and DHA.

“Thus, ALA and LA are considered the EFAs. Sometimes, (Arachidonic Acid) AA, EPA, and DHA are considered conditional EFAs because their production may be inadequate in certain conditions such as prematurity and periods of growth, thus requiring exogenous supplementation.” (Le, et al., 2009)

Symptoms of essential fatty acid deficiency -

Dry and scaly skin is the earliest or most visible symptom of essential fatty acid deficiency. Hair loss and infertility may be symptoms and an increased risk for coagulopathies - bleeding disorders. Growth retardation is a risk of deficiency in essential fatty acids during development.

“Clinical symptoms of EFAD may take 4-6 weeks to appear in older patients. Physiological and pathological signs of EFAD include growth retardation, hair loss, infertility, coagulopathies, dry and scaly skin.” (Le, et al., 2009)

I just wanted to make it crystal clear that no one needs to supplement with arachidonic acid, practically, roughly. Except for vegans…hmmm.

Meats and animal products, eggs and dairy are sources of arachidonic acid, no plants. Eggs, sardines and salmon are very good sources. See Table 1 for various types of lipid content in animal product foods, including arachidonic acid (ARA). The table lists the content in raw meats, so cooked broth and cooked meat might have a higher amount, more breakdown from other larger molecules. (Kawashima, 2019)

Foods that may have more arachidonic acid include chicken products made in a broth/processed method, other stewed meats or gristly bone stock. The arachidonic acid is released from cell membranes in the food during cooking.

Vegans who have normal enzyme function (D6D and Elongase and D5D) and adequate vitamin B6 and biotin could make arachidonic acid from linoleic or gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) or DGLA.

Vegan food sources of GLA and linoleic acid include “evening primrose oil (EPO), borage oil, and black currant seed oil.” (mountsinai.org/gamma linolenic acid) Those would likely need to be purchased at a health food store rather than being common foods.

Ornamental primrose flowers may be a variety of colors and are low to the ground and like shade. Evening primrose is a tall wildflower with yellow flowers at the top of stalk and it likes a sunny meadow. (AmericanMeadows, image/seeds for sale). Photo by henry perks on Unsplash

The following is my description of Figure 1 from the Chris Masterjohn pdf on essential fatty acids.

*Information based on page 4, Figure 1, How Essential Are the Essential Fatty Acids? by Chris Masterjohn, 2008. Available for free download along with his other ebooks when you buy a Masterpass subscription to his Substack.

The chemical code for a fully saturated fatty acid, — HOOC-(CH2)n-CH3 — A carboxyl group {COOH} forms one end, a methyl group {CH3} the other and a varied number {n} of methylene groups {(CH2)n} form the center of the fatty acid

Omega 3, 6 and 9 pathways use the same enzymes. These pathways are viewable online in (Figure 1, Le, et al., 2009)

In the chemical naming system shown below, C18 indicates the number of carbon atoms in the fatty acid chain. The :1, :2 or :3 indicates the number of double bonds and the -9, -6, -3 indicates how far in from the methyl end the first double bond is located among the carbon atoms. From that one all other double bonds would be 3 carbon atoms apart moving towards the carboxyl end of the fatty acid. Enzymes change things at the carboxyl end so the position of the first double bond and methyl end doesn’t change.

• Oleic — C18:1n-9 — The chemical formula if fully saturated would be HOOC-(CH)16-CH3 except there would be two hydrogen atoms missing to make room for the double bond so it is written in the C18:1n-9 format instead.

• Linoleic — C18:2n-6 — This would have four fewer hydrogen atoms than a fully saturated fatty acid due to the two double bonds.

• alpha-Linolenic — C18: 3n-3 — minus six hydrogen atoms, for three double bonds.

Those are converted to another C18 fatty acid with an additional double bond by the D6D (delta-6 desaturase) enzyme with vitamin B6 as a supporting need of some sort. the enzyme Elongase with biotin as a supporting need adds two more carbons at the carboxyl end. The enzyme D5D (delta-6 desaturase) adds another double bond which forms arachidonic acid and EPA and the omega 9 called Mead oil. To reach DHA from the EPA two more Elongase with biotin steps are needed and then another D6D with vitamin B6 step plus chain shortening. So a vegan would need both enzymes and vitamin B6 and biotin to convert plant oil precursors into arachidonic acid or DHA.

Oleic — C18:1n-9 »D6D & B6» C18:2n-9 »Elongase & biotin» C20:2n-9 »D5D» C0:3n-9 (Mead acid) *Olive oil is rich in the monounsaturated fats. (ScienceDirect/Oleic acid)

Linoleic — C18:2n-6 »D6D & B6» C18:3n-6 (gamma-linolenic) »Elongase & biotin» C20:3n-6 (DGLA) »D5D» C20:4n-6 (Arachidonic acid) »Elongase & biotin»»Elongase & biotin» C24:4n-6 »D6D & B6 plus chain shortening» C22:5n-6 (DPA)

alpha-linolenic — C18:3n-3 »D6D & B6» C18:4n-3 »Elongase & biotin» C20:4n-3 »D5D» C20:5n-3 (EPA) »Elongase & biotin» »Elongase & biotin» C24:5n-3 »D6D & B6 plus chain shortening» C22:5n-3 (DHA)

*Information based on page 4, Figure 1, How Essential Are the Essential Fatty Acids? by Chris Masterjohn, 2008. Available for free download along with his other ebooks when you buy a Masterpass subscription to his Substack.

While we may be able to make arachidonic acid and DHA for ourselves it takes us a little while to do so and some vitamin B6 and biotin in addition to having the precursor plant seed oils.

Membranes give us structure. Photo by Kai Rohweder on Unsplash

Disclaimer: This information is being provided for educational purposes within the guidelines of Fair Use and is not intended to provide individual health care guidance.

Reference List

(Cole, et al., 1988) viewable at (ScienceDirect/Oleic acid) A.S. Cole, J.E. Eastoe, Chapter 8 - Lipids, Editor(s): A.S. Cole, J.E. Eastoe, Biochemistry and Oral Biology (Second Edition), Butterworth-Heinemann, 1988, pp100-108, ISBN 9780723617518, https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-7236-1751-8.50015-6. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/B9780723617518500156

(Kawashima, 2019) Kawashima, H. Intake of arachidonic acid-containing lipids in adult humans: dietary surveys and clinical trials. Lipids Health Dis 18, 101 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12944-019-1039-y https://lipidworld.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12944-019-1039-y

(Le, et al., 2009) Le HD, Meisel JA, de Meijer VE, Gura KM, Puder M. The essentiality of arachidonic acid and docosahexaenoic acid. Prostaglandins Leukot Essent Fatty Acids. 2009 Aug-Sep;81(2-3):165-70. doi: 10.1016/j.plefa.2009.05.020. Epub 2009 Jun 18. PMID: 19540099; PMCID: PMC3361712. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3361712/