Arachidonic Acid: Bodybuilder's Friend or Foe?

**strategicmove** · 09-08-2007, 03:44 PM

Some supplements contain arachidonic acid (AA), espousing it as an important anabolic compound. On the other hand, I have read articles describing arachidonic acid as a chief inflammatory compound producing producing several undesirable consequences.

Specifically, an article in the February 2007 edition of the Life Extension Magazine by William Faloon titled "Eating Your Way to Prostrate Cancer" suggests that an excess or elevated level of arachidonic acid can stimulate prostrate cancer, create processes leading to heart attack, cause tissue destruction, chronic inflammation, and increased resistance of tumor cells to apoptosis (programmed cell destruction).

He recommended the reduction of arachidonic acid's effects via the consumption of cyclooxygenase (COX) inhibitors that inhibit the toxic by-products of arachidonic acid metabolism. COX inhibitors include low-dose aspirin, curcumin, green tea, and resveratrol.

So, is arachidonic acid a bodybuilder's friend or foe?

Only objective responses, please!

**krogtaar** · 09-08-2007, 03:50 PM

inflammation appears to be good for muscle growth, not good for other things.

**BullzEye** · 09-09-2007, 12:10 AM

i believe cycling AA seems to diminish the serious potential side effects.

**Cellardude** · 09-09-2007, 12:13 AM

Originally Posted by BullzEye

i believe cycling AA seems to diminish the serious potential side effects.

agreed.

**Cellardude** · 09-09-2007, 12:14 AM

I also read somewhere that AA may speed up prostrate cancer however it was never proven to have a direct link to prostate cancer itself.

**jjohn** · 09-09-2007, 12:30 AM

Originally Posted by Cellardude

I also read somewhere that AA may speed up prostrate cancer however it was never proven to have a direct link to prostate cancer itself.

Just remember, if you HAVE cancer cells, it will speed up growth. But, there are no evidence that it causes it.

**BullzEye** · 09-09-2007, 12:35 AM

Although AA is a great product, i will not run another cycle. Joint pain, and removing fish from my diet was not something i want to do again.

I did make reasonable gains both in size and strength, but im sure some of that was due to eating beef 4x a day, and eggs for the other 3 meals...

They are the true musclebuilders.

**jjohn** · 09-09-2007, 12:38 AM

Originally Posted by BullzEye

Although AA is a great product, i will not run another cycle. Joint pain, and removing fish from my diet was not something i want to do again.

I did make reasonable gains both in size and strength, but im sure some of that was due to eating beef 4x a day, and eggs for the other 3 meals...

They are the true musclebuilders.

The eggs also contain AA which is one of the egg's secret for muscle building

**Cellardude** · 09-09-2007, 12:38 AM

mnnn Ive been wondering jjohn. has anyone tried cissus with AA? some results on a incarnate and xfactor stack would be awesome. how about throwing that stack into the mega stack thread jjohn

.

**BullzEye** · 09-09-2007, 12:39 AM

Originally Posted by jjohn

The eggs also contain AA which is one of the egg's secret for muscle building

And so does beef

I was upward of 16 whole eggs a day + 800g of beef + 4 AA caps, yeah i grew, but i could hardly walk...

**jjohn** · 09-09-2007, 12:40 AM

Originally Posted by Cellardude

mnnn Ive been wondering jjohn. has anyone tried cissus with AA? some results on a incarnate and xfactor stack would be awesome. how about throwing that stack into the mega stack thread jjohn

.

Haha, that will be coming someday if this thread goes well

I have done cissus and it worked great for me!

**BullzEye** · 09-09-2007, 12:40 AM

Originally Posted by Cellardude

mnnn Ive been wondering jjohn. has anyone tried cissus with AA? some results on a incarnate and xfactor stack would be awesome. how about throwing that stack into the mega stack thread jjohn

.

Possibly X-Factor and the revised version of AP?

**Cellardude** · 09-09-2007, 12:44 AM

id love to see a log on it of some sort ehem

. I want to run x-factor with incarnate RPM and citrulline malate. seems like a killer combo.

**BullzEye** · 09-09-2007, 12:52 AM

Originally Posted by BullzEye

Possibly X-Factor and the revised version of AP?

bump

Would there be any issue with AP's anti-inflammatory effects?

**johnyq** · 09-09-2007, 01:47 AM

Originally Posted by BullzEye

And so does beef

I was upward of 16 whole eggs a day + 800g of beef + 4 AA caps, yeah i grew, but i could hardly walk...

Jesus, I laughed, but that is a lot. At that point you really have to start weighing the effects of hormonal supplements instead.

I'm not sold one or the other, I'm apprehensive though.

**BullzEye** · 09-09-2007, 03:10 AM

Originally Posted by johnyq

Jesus, I laughed, but that is a lot. At that point you really have to start weighing the effects of hormonal supplements instead.

I'm not sold one or the other, I'm apprehensive though.

Unfortunately at this age and stage AAS/PH's are not an option for me. There is progress with what i am doing anyway. People underate the anabolic effect of food.

**johnyq** · 09-09-2007, 03:16 AM

Originally Posted by BullzEye

Unfortunately at this age and stage anabolic steroids/PH's are not an option for me. There is progress with what i am doing anyway. People underate the anabolic effect of food.

I don't doubt it, what I meant is you may be hurting yourself more than if you took the anabolic steroids/PH route. That is a personal decisions though, one you have obviously made

**BullzEye** · 09-09-2007, 03:22 AM

Originally Posted by johnyq

I don't doubt it, what I meant is you may be hurting yourself more than if you took the anabolic steroids/PH route. That is a personal decisions though, one you have obviously made

I agree. I do think limiting my diet (like i am doing with my second cycle of AA) is a serious detriment - one that i will probably not be following again. I would be a strong supporter of AA supplementation if omega-3's were permitted, but unfortunately that is not the case. I may in future look into Cissus + MRM/Glucosamine and see how well this masks the dryness.

**strategicmove** · 09-09-2007, 05:25 AM

Originally Posted by Cellardude;

...

What happened to your old avatar? Was great!

**strategicmove** · 09-09-2007, 05:47 AM

Originally Posted by krogtaar;

inflammation appears to be good for muscle growth, not good for other things.

Not necessarily. It depends on what type of inflammation we are talking about. There are different types of inflammations, acute (roughly transient, short-term) and chronic (roughly persistent). Chronic inflammation is implicated in the pathogenesis of several serious medical conditions including, but not limited to, atherosclerosis, cancer, heart valve dysfunction, obesity, diabetes, congestive heart failure, digestive system diseases, Alzheimer's disease, Allergy, Anemia, Arthritis, Fibromyalgia, Firbrosis, Kidney Failure, and Lupus.
You probably either meant muscle soreness due to cellular lactic-acid build or structural muscle "damage" due to delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS). Lactic-acid levels, though, return to normal levels within an hour of muscular stress, whereas pains associated with DOMS peaks with 24-72 hours after exercise. DOMS are not caused by elevated lactic acid levels, and I am not sure both are induced by arachidonic acid.

**strategicmove** · 09-09-2007, 05:49 AM

Originally Posted by BullzEye;

i believe cycling AA seems to diminish the serious potential side effects.

This will definitely make a lot of sense. Same as for some other supplements, but for different reasons.

**strategicmove** · 09-09-2007, 06:00 AM

Originally Posted by BullzEye;

i believe cycling AA seems to diminish the serious potential side effects.

The chart below highlights arachidonic acid's cascading pathway to damaging compounds in the body, causing arthritic, carcinogenic, and cardiovascular conditions. I am not sure which of these is beneficial to bodybuilders. To be sure, I want us to discuss arachidonic acid's proper anabolic pathway juxtaposed with the possible sides, so we can make an informed decision regarding the benefits of arachidonic acid for muscular hypertrophy.

**BullzEye** · 09-09-2007, 06:10 AM

Originally Posted by strategicmove

The chart below highlights arachidonic acid's cascading pathway to damaging compounds in the body, causing arthritic, carcinogenic, and cardiovascular conditions. I am not sure which of these is beneficial to bodybuilders. To be sure, I want us to discuss arachidonic acid's proper anabolic pathway juxtaposed with the possible sides, so we can make an informed decision regarding the benefits of arachidonic acid for muscular hypertrophy.

That is a very interesting and informative post. What needs to be provided now is if the presence of Prostoglandlin E2 needs to be present to exert its anabolic effects - if not, it seems the most common sides could be diminished relatively easily without jeapordizing its efficacy. I hope a MN rep chimes in...

**strategicmove** · 09-09-2007, 10:50 AM

Originally Posted by BullzEye;

...Would there be any issue with AP's anti-inflammatory effects?

What is "AP"?

**BullzEye** · 09-09-2007, 10:56 AM

Originally Posted by strategicmove

What is "AP"?

Anabolic Pump - it has some strong anti-inflammatory affects. Just done some research,shows it should be fine. That would be quite the non-hormonal stack i must say.

**jjohn** · 09-09-2007, 10:59 AM

Originally Posted by BullzEye

Anabolic Pump - it has some strong anti-inflammatory affects. Just done some research,shows it should be fine. That would be quite the non-hormonal stack i must say.

There are 3 logs coming up with PSlin

**strategicmove** · 09-09-2007, 11:05 AM

Originally Posted by strategicmove;

The chart below highlights arachidonic acid's cascading pathway to damaging compounds in the body, causing arthritic, carcinogenic, and cardiovascular conditions. I am not sure which of these is beneficial to bodybuilders. To be sure, I want us to discuss arachidonic acid's proper anabolic pathway juxtaposed with the possible sides, so we can make an informed decision regarding the benefits of arachidonic acid for muscular hypertrophy.

Some explanations of some enzymes in the earlier flow-chart:

5-LOX (5-Lipooxygenase)
An enzyme that is produced in higher amounts by the body in response to an overload of arachidonic acid. 5-LOX functions to degrade arachidonic acid. However, 5-LOX directly stimulates the propagation of cancer cells. Furthermore, 5-LOX produces breakdown products from arachidonic acid. These products, leukotriene B4, 5-HETE, and hydroxylated fatty acids, motivate tissue destruction, chronic inflammation, as well as the increased resistance of tumor cells to apoptosis or programmed cell destruction.

Apart from 5-LOX, the body produces other dangerous enzymes such as cyclooxygenase-1 (COX-1) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) that participate in the breakdown of arachidonic acid.

COX-1 leads to the production of thromboxane A2. Thromboxane can enhance abnormal arterial blood clotting or thrombosis, leading to heart attack and stroke.

COX-2 participates directly in cancer cell propagation. Its breakdown product, prostaglandin E2 fosters chronic inflammation.

**strategicmove** · 09-09-2007, 11:07 AM

Originally Posted by BullzEye;

Anabolic Pump - it has some strong anti-inflammatory affects. Just done some research,shows it should be fine. That would be quite the non-hormonal stack i must say.

If it is anti-inflammatory, then taking it simultaneously with arachidonic acid will weaken or neutralize the impact of arachidonic acid.

**BullzEye** · 09-09-2007, 11:10 AM

Originally Posted by strategicmove

If it is anti-inflammatory, then taking it simultaneously with arachidonic acid will weaken or neutralize the impact of arachidonic acid.

The anti-inflammatory effects seem to be negligible through anecdotal feedback, but yes to some degree the efficacy would be tarnished.

**strategicmove** · 09-09-2007, 11:51 AM

Originally Posted by BullzEye;

The anti-inflammatory effects seem to be negligible through anecdotal feedback, but yes to some degree the efficacy would be tarnished.

If Anabolic Pump's anti-inflammatory effects are negligible, then it is an interesting anti-inflammatory!

Arachidonic Acid: Bodybuilder's Friend or Foe?

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