Q: How much arachidonic acid is required in the daily diet? Where does this come from in your diet plans and from what foods do we receive a balance of other essential fatty acids?
Richard
A: Dear Richard,
The body requires no AA since vegetarians who consume no AA do OK. The reason is that linoleic acid can be converted into AA even if you are not consuming any dietary AA. The body requires some AA to mount pro-inflammatory responses, but with too much AA in the body, the immune system starts attacking itself. Although EPA and DHA can be manufactured from alpha linolenic acid, the process is far more inefficient than the production of AA from linoleic acid. This is why I suggest supplementing the diet with EPA/DHA concentrates to maintain an appropriate balance of EPA and AA.