Still confused about ArA

MVatty

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Hey everyone I have a 200ct. bottle of OG X-Factor I was just about to start running. There is an article on this site today saying the optimal balance of Omega-3 to Omega-6 is 2:1, and that an incorrect ratio can lead to chronic inflammation and disease. So is ArA just considered safe because it is a temporary boost in Omega-6 that has muscle building and body composition benefits? I am programmed to think inflammation is bad so I don't know what I am missing here, any advice or knowledge would be appreciated.
 

mr.cooper69

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No one is advocating long-term use of ArA; in fact, the labels generally say to cycle off for at least 50 days.

What ArA supplementation achieves is a transient elevation in skeletal muscle arachidonic acid content (the key here is transient! -> one reason for the paradoxical effect on interleukins in the baylor study may be that a compensatory effect on cytokines occurred).

This transient elevation, when presented with the proper stimulus (weight training), can result in improved accretion of local myogenic satellite cells, resulting in skeletal muscle hypertrophy. But you are right, the key is balance. Unfortunately, most bodybuilders supplement high doses of EPA/DHA for years without also accounting for their intake of linoleic acid/ArA to maintain the balance.
 

MVatty

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Thanks for your response. The article said most people's ratio of omega-3 to -6 is around 1:17. But you're right, "most people" is probably not referring to most bodybuilders and generally health conscious people who supplement with high amounts of fish oil year round. I can see periodically spiking omega-6 shouldn't be a problem. I'm ready to give it a go! Thanks again.
 

mr.cooper69

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Thanks for your response. The article said most people's ratio of omega-3 to -6 is around 1:17. But you're right, "most people" is probably not referring to most bodybuilders and generally health conscious people who supplement with high amounts of fish oil year round. I can see periodically spiking omega-6 shouldn't be a problem. I'm ready to give it a go! Thanks again.
Exactly. In the typical Western data, omega-6s are overconsumed, and this chronic elevation of arachidonic acid is associated with inflammatory conditions (including implications in vascular disease and obesity).

Bodybuilders, on the other hand, could use a transient increase in ArA every now and again.
 

w_llewellyn

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Exactly. In the typical Western data, omega-6s are overconsumed, and this chronic elevation of arachidonic acid is associated with inflammatory conditions (including implications in vascular disease and obesity).

Bodybuilders, on the other hand, could use a transient increase in ArA every now and again.
It is not really elevation in ARA that causes problem with inflammation, but metabolic issues that cause your body to mismanage EFA's and the complex inflammatory cascade. You won't find studies showing supplemental ARA, or increased dietary consumption, for example, to cause inflammatory issues, obesity, or disease. Elevated adipose ARA is associated with CVD, but again, how the body manages EFAs are implicated, not dietary levels.
 

nidhogg

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Exactly. In the typical Western data, omega-6s are overconsumed, and this chronic elevation of arachidonic acid is associated with inflammatory conditions (including implications in vascular disease and obesity).

Bodybuilders, on the other hand, could use a transient increase in ArA every now and again.
Hypothetically speaking, if one was to "over-consume" omega 3 fatty acids, would this blunt the anabolic response to exercise stimuli?

I think i read somewhere that the avarage intake of ArA is 250mg daily for most people which i believe is a definite overstatement for bodybuilders limiting their fatty acid intake. Following the recommendation of 2:1 the optimal dosage of EPA/DHA would be 500mg or 1500mg standard fish oil.

Most people here, including me, consume way more than that. I take about 5-6 grams a day at least AND i limit my regular fatty intake.

This is something i completely overlooked.
 

mr.cooper69

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It is not really elevation in ARA that causes problem with inflammation, but metabolic issues that cause your body to mismanage EFA's and the complex inflammatory cascade. You won't find studies showing supplemental ARA, or increased dietary consumption, for example, to cause inflammatory issues, obesity, or disease. Elevated adipose ARA is associated with CVD, but again, how the body manages EFAs are implicated, not dietary levels.
Yes, this is understood, as metabolism of ArA will not occur without a stimulus. However, it is safe to say that a very large amount of the population will overstimulate ArA metabolism to a degree, at one point or another. It's not all linked to inflammatory disorders. For instance, exercise can induce local inflammation and too much ArA can create an exaggerated response and issues like tendinitis.

Hypothetically speaking, if one was to "over-consume" omega 3 fatty acids, would this blunt the anabolic response to exercise stimuli?

I think i read somewhere that the avarage intake of ArA is 250mg daily for most people which i believe is a definite overstatement for bodybuilders limiting their fatty acid intake. Following the recommendation of 2:1 the optimal dosage of EPA/DHA would be 500mg or 1500mg standard fish oil.

Most people here, including me, consume way more than that. I take about 5-6 grams a day at least AND i limit my regular fatty intake.

This is something i completely overlooked.
Hypothetically speaking, as in a basic mechanistic model, the answer is yes. The real world/practical answer is a lot more convoluted if you look at studies of EPA/DHA in the elderly (wrt protein synthesis). I'd continue to use your fish oil, though I'd recommend lowering the total amount of EPA/DHA to no more than 3g/day, as these two fatty acids are particularly prone to peroxidation and doses in excess of the plasma saturation level will predispose to this even further.
 
jjblacksheep

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If one was to take ArA for 50 workouts 4x week vs. 50 straight days.....would time off still be 50 days? I've seen this before but forgot.
 

w_llewellyn

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Yeah, I see what you are saying Mr. Cooper. I am more thinking in the context of systemic chronic inflammation, a health issue more to do with lifestyle and disease, than the level of ARA in ones the diet, of course. I think we're on the same page. You tend to be a source of good info on ARA around here.

Hypothetically speaking, if one was to "over-consume" omega 3 fatty acids, would this blunt the anabolic response to exercise stimuli?

I think i read somewhere that the avarage intake of ArA is 250mg daily for most people which i believe is a definite overstatement for bodybuilders limiting their fatty acid intake. Following the recommendation of 2:1 the optimal dosage of EPA/DHA would be 500mg or 1500mg standard fish oil.

Most people here, including me, consume way more than that. I take about 5-6 grams a day at least AND i limit my regular fatty intake.

This is something i completely overlooked.


You've touched on one of the key issues. It drives me nuts when people argue against ARA supplementation then cite the "typical western diet". I'd wager most people astute enough to even know what ARA is for would not be eating the typical american corn and soy-oil laden processed food-garbage diet. Don't get me started on the effects of exercise, and ARA depletion/replenishment. There is also too much talk of O3/O6 ratio in the sports nutrition world. ARA is the key active O6. We tend to not have the same excesses... When you remove the excess LA, the real thing we need to focus on the ratio of EPA/DHA to ARA in the body, not LA.
 

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