Arachidonic acid CAS NO.506-32-1

Arachidonic Acid (ARA), an omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA), is an essential fatty acid for human beings. ARA plays important roles as a structural lipid associated predominantly with phospholipids in blood, liver, muscle and other major organ systems. ARA is also a precursor of many important eicosanoids, such as prostaglandins, thromboxanes, and leukotrienes, etc. These derivates enhance physiological activity and immunoregulation.

ARA plays an important role in infant nutrition, particularly is essential for infant brain and visual nerve development. However, ARA cannot be synthesized by infants, it must be supplemented from diets (breast milk, infant formula, etc.) to avoid deficiency of ARA, and fulfill the demand of well mental and cognitive development of infants.

1.Muscle Growth: 
ARA is an important dietary component in support of the muscle anabolic process. Arachidonic acid is a regulator of localized muscle inflammation, and may be a central nutrient controlling the intensity of the anabolic/tissue-rebuilding response to weight training.

2. Brain

Arachidonic acid is one of the most abundant fatty acids in the brain, and is present in similar quantities to docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).  Arachidonic acid helps to maintain hippocampal

cell membrane fluidity and helps protect the brain from oxidative stress by activating peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma.

3. Alzheimer's Disease

Supplementation of arachidonic acid during the early stages of this disease may actually be effective in reducing symptoms and slowing the disease progress.

4. Bodybuilding Supplement

Arachidonic acid is marketed as an anabolic bodybuilding supplement in a variety of products.