Procedures for the laboratory-scale preparation of U-13C-ARA and U-14C-ARA are described. The yield of U-13C-ARA was >100 nmol with an isotopic purity of 95%. The yield of U-14C-ARA was >2 μCi with an estimated specific activity of >1200 Ci/mol. Conversion efficiencies from glucose to ARA were 4–5%. Smaller quantities of other isotope-labeled fatty acids were also obtained.