Omega-6 Fatty Acids Do Not Raise Inflammatory Markers, Study Shows

In a large community study, researchers from the Research Institute on Fat Acids have observed low but statistically significant inverse associations between several types of inflammatory biomarkers with omega-6 fatty acids.

This image shows Biennis d’OenotheraA flower that produces an oil containing a high content of linolenic acid. Image credit: Georg Slickers / CC by-SA 4.0.

“Chronic inflammation is recognized as an important risk factor for a variety of health problems,” said the president of the Gilliam Harris Grasse Research Institute and his colleagues.

“It has been shown that” omega-6 fatty acids, in particular linoleic (the) and arachidonic acid (AA), proved to be pro- or anti-inflammatory drugs, and the researchers recommended both for and against the reduction of their food intake. »»

The authors relied on the data from the Framingham Offspring Study, a well -known research cohort in the Boston region.

Framingham offspring study is a historic longitudinal research initiative that follows children from the participants in the original Framingham Heart study to study genetic and lifestyle factors influencing cardiovascular and metabolic health.

Launched in 1971, he provided decades valuable information on risk and prevention of chronic diseases.

The rigor and continuity of the cohort make it one of the most reliable sources to understand the long -term health trajectories.

It was a transversal study, which means that the levels of and AA were measured in the same blood samples as the 10 biomarkers linked to inflammation in 2,700 individuals.

Relations between the levels of these two omega-6 fatty acids and 10 blood / urine biomarkers separated from inflammation and oxidative stress have been assessed statistically.

After adjustment (statistically controlled) for several other potentially confounding factors (age, race, sex, smoking, blood lipids, blood pressure, body weight, etc.), researchers found that the highest levels were associated with statistically significantly lower levels of five of the 10 biomarkers, and in any case, at higher levels Biomarker.

For AAs, higher levels were linked to lower concentrations of four markers and, as, there were no statistically significant associations with higher levels of inflammation / oxidation.

“These new data clearly show that people who have the highest levels of (and AA) in their blood are in a less inflammatory state than people with lower levels,” said Dr. Harris.

“This observation is exactly the opposite of what we could expect if omega-6 fatty acids were” pro-inflammatory “-in fact, they seem to be anti-inflammatory.”

“In the burst of reports on damage to seed oils – the main sources of the diet – many voices call for reducing American intake of Los Angeles.”

“It is not a scientific recommendation, and this study – in addition to many others – points precisely in the opposite direction: instead of reducing the contributions in the, the increase in contributions seems to be a healthier recommendation.”

“These results contradict a story, not previous research results.”

“There are many studies in the medical literature that comply with our results here.”

The study was published on June 22 in the journal Nutrients.

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Heidi tm lai and al. 2025. Omega-6 fatty acids of red blood cells and biomarkers of inflammation in the study of Framingham offspring. Nutrients 17 (13): 2076; DOI: 10.3390 / NU17132076