Arachidonic acid is a natural and necessary part of cell membranes. It is made from linoleic acid, the most common omega-6 fatty acid in the diet, and is also found in meat, offal and eggs.
AA and EPA partly use the same enzymes and the same places in the membranes. That is why many laboratories report an AA:EPA ratio, which shows how the two compare.
A high AA number is not a diagnosis. It says something about fat balance, and it is read together with the rest of the profile.
Sources
- [source pending] Source needed: review on arachidonic acid (AA) and EPA sharing the same enzymes and membrane positions