This research is being conducted to assess the safety and tolerability of an Arachidonic Acid (ARA) supplement over 4 days.

We expect that all the doses of ARA supplement tested in this study will be well tolerated, with few side effects and no meaningful changes in safety blood test results. We also expect that taking a higher amount of ARA will lead to higher levels of ARA in the blood. Finally, we expect that some forms of the supplement, which contain ingredients designed to help the body absorb it, will lead to better absorption of the fatty acid compared with a standard formulation.

Your involvement in this study will be required for approximately 4 weeks. Within the study period you will undergo a screening period and be required to take a single dose of the Study Product containing ARA.

To make the timings of study requirements as convenient as possible for you, we are recruiting on a rolling basis in small groups of 8 people, which means that there will a selection of starting dates available.  You may take part in up to 2 arms (groups) of this study. If you choose to take part in a second arm, the study team will discuss the timing with you, and you will need to meet the eligibility criteria again before starting.

During the screening process you will be required to attend our RDC Clinic (Fortitude Valley, Brisbane) for a screening appointment. Once you are enrolled there is an additional 4 clinic visits during the study comprised of 1 full day (13-hours) and 3 short follow-up visits (approximately 30 minutes each).

Please see below for further information. You can find the registration of interest form at the bottom of this page.

This study is being run on set dates. You can choose from any of the groups below, but you will need to attend all visits for your chosen group.

Arachidonic acid (ARA) is a type of omega-6 fatty acid found in the outer layer of cells, especially in the brain and muscles. It plays an important role in helping cells communicate with each other, and the body uses it to make substances involved in inflammation and immune responses. The supplementation of ARA has been studied in various contexts, including athletic performance, inflammation, and mental health.

For this study, the supplement containing ARA will be supplied as a powder, capsule, or liquid, and will be consumed as a single dose following a breakfast meal.

There are 19 study groups, and each will be allocated a different quantity or form of supplement containing ARA to consume. As this is an open-label study, both you and the investigators will know which group you have been allocated to.

Please note: This page is a summary of the study outline and participant requirements. A full Participant Information Sheet with more detailed information will be provided to you before you are asked to give your consent to participate.

During the screening period, you will be required to attend the RDC Clinic for a medical consultation and provide a blood and urine sample. Your blood will be checked to ensure that a range of markers are within a healthy range (and females are not pregnant). Your urine will be tested to ensure that you don’t have any illicit drugs in your system.

RDC Clinic (Fortitude Valley, Brisbane)

Eligible participants will be required to attend the RDC Clinic a total of 5 times during the study. Please find a summary of the requirements below…

Visit Schedule

• Visit 1: Screening: approx. 60 minutes
• Visit 2: Day 1 (dosing): approximately 13-hours
• Visit 3: Day 2: approx 30 minutes
• Visit 4: Day 3: approx 30 minutes
• Visit 5: Day 4: approx 30 minutes

Compensation

You will be eligible for payment of up to $600 as reimbursement for your time and out of pocket expenses (such as travel). The reimbursement will be made via direct deposit to your nominated bank account or by gift voucher (your choice) after study requirements have been met. Pro rata payments are available and full details are provided in the Participant Information and Consent Form.

If you would like to participate, we’d love to hear from you. Please register your interest by answering the questionnaire and completing the form on this page…we’ll then get in touch to screen you for eligibility.

Our clinic is located on Level 3, 252 St Pauls Terrace, Fortitude Valley. 

• Adults 18 years or older
• BMI between 18.0-32 kg/m² (Please use the BMI calculator on this page)
• Healthy with no uncontrolled or serious illnesses
• Able to provide informed consent
• Able to have multiple blood draws during the study period
• Able to attend the RDC Clinic for the specified visits
• Are not regularly consuming supplements containing fatty acids such as marine oils

Please register your interest by answering the questionnaire and completing the form on this page… we’ll then get in touch to screen you for suitability.

Please note: This page is a summary of the study outline and participant requirements. A full Participant Information Sheet with more detailed information will be provided to you before you are asked to give your consent to participate.

BMI Calculator

This RDC Clinical study has been approved by the Bellberry Human Research Ethics Committee under Approval Number: 2024-09-1161.

Trained Investigators and Trial Coordinators will supervise your progress throughout the study. Personal information collected during the study will be kept in the strictest confidence. Results are analysed in a de-identified manner.