Can You Take Arachidonic Acid and Fish Oil (Omega-3) Together?

Dose or timing may matter

The short answer

Arachidonic acid is a pro-inflammatory omega-6 fatty acid, while fish oil (EPA/DHA) is anti-inflammatory. They compete for cyclooxygenase and lipoxygenase enzymes, potentially blunting each other's intended effects.

How to arrange timing

If using arachidonic acid for muscle growth signaling, separate from fish oil by at least 4 hours to avoid enzymatic competition.

Reference

Reference noted for this combination: Markworth JF, Cameron-Smith D. Arachidonic acid supplementation enhances in vitro skeletal muscle cell growth via a COX-2-dependent pathway. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol. 2013;304(1):C56-67

Important context

Whether supplements suit you together also depends on dose, product formulation, health conditions, and medication use. Ask a doctor or pharmacist first if you take medication, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or have a chronic condition.