Are Omega-6 Fats Really Inflammatory? New Study Says No

A recent study published in Nutrients provides compelling evidence that challenges the widely held belief that omega-6 fatty acids, particularly linoleic acid, are proinflammatory. Researchers found that higher blood levels of linoleic acid and arachidonic acid both omega-6 fatty acids were actually associated with lower levels of several inflammation-related biomarkers, contradicting the popular narrative that these fats promote chronic inflammation.

This new research sought to test that assumption directly by examining whether higher intakes and thus higher blood levels of linoleic acid and arachidonic acid are truly linked to increased markers of inflammation and oxidative stress.

The study used cross-sectional data from the Framingham Offspring Study, a long-term cohort that has tracked the health of participants since 1971. Blood samples from 2,700 individuals were analyzed for levels of linoleic acid and arachidonic acid, alongside 10 biomarkers of inflammation and oxidative stress.

The findings were clear: higher levels of linoleic acid were significantly associated with lower levels of five biomarkers of inflammation. Similarly, higher arachidonic acid levels correlated with reduced levels of four markers. Importantly, neither fatty acid was linked to any increases in inflammatory or oxidative stress markers.

“These new data show clearly that people who have the highest levels of linoleic acid and arachidonic acid in their blood are in a less inflammatory state than people with lower levels,” said study investigator William S. Harris, PhD. “This finding is exactly the opposite of what one would expect if omega-6 fatty acids were ‘proinflammatory’ – in fact, they appear to be anti-inflammatory.”

The study concludes that the negative perception of omega-6 fats lacks scientific basis and that increasing, rather than reducing, their intake could support better inflammatory health.

Reference: Lai, H. T. M., Ryder, N. A., Tintle, N. L., Jackson, K. H., Kris-Etherton, P. M., & Harris, W. S. (2025). Red Blood Cell Omega-6 Fatty Acids and Biomarkers of Inflammation in the Framingham Offspring Study. Nutrients, 17(13), 2076. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17132076