A large-scale study finds that higher blood levels of omega-6 do not increase markers of inflammation.
A recent study published in the journal Nutrients sheds new light on the ongoing debate surrounding omega-6 fatty acids and their potential role in inflammation.
Public concern over seed oils has been growing, largely because many of these oils are rich in linoleic acid (LA), an essential omega-6 fatty acid. Critics argue that Western diets are overloaded with LA, suggesting this shift is a key contributor to many modern health issues.
According to this view, elevated levels of LA are believed to drive chronic inflammation. But is there solid evidence that consuming more LA — and having higher levels of it in the bloodstream — actually leads to increased inflammation?
Investigators relied on data from the Framingham Offspring Study, a well-known research cohort from the Boston area. The Framingham Offspring Study is a landmark longitudinal research initiative that follows the children of participants in the original Framingham Heart Study to investigate genetic and lifestyle factors influencing cardiovascular and metabolic health. Launched in 1971, it has provided decades of valuable insights into chronic disease risk and prevention. The cohort’s rigor and continuity make it one of the most trusted sources for understanding long-term health trajectories.
Study Design and Biomarker Analysis
This was a cross-sectional study, meaning that the LA and arachidonic acid (AA) levels were measured in the same blood samples as the 10 inflammation-related biomarkers in 2700 individuals. The relationships between the levels of these two omega-6 fatty acids and 10 separate blood/urine biomarkers of inflammation and oxidative stress were statistically evaluated.
After adjusting (controlling statistically) for multiple other potentially confounding factors (age, race, sex, smoking, blood lipid levels, blood pressure, body weight, etc.), the researchers found that higher LA levels were associated with statistically significantly lower levels of five of the 10 biomarkers, and in no case was higher LA related to higher levels of any biomarker. For AA, higher levels were linked with lower concentrations of four markers, and, like LA, there were no statistically significant associations with higher levels of inflammation/oxidation.
Implications for Dietary Recommendations
“These new data show clearly that people who have the highest levels of LA (and AA) in their blood are in a less inflammatory state than people with lower levels. 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,” explained study investigator William S. Harris, PhD; President Fatty Acid Research Institute; Founder, OmegaQuant Analytics, LLC; and Professor, Department of Internal Medicine, Sanford School of Medicine, University of South Dakota, Sioux Falls, SD.
“In the flurry of news stories about the harms of seed oils – the primary sources of LA in the diet – many voices are calling for reducing Americans’ intakes of LA. This is not a science-based recommendation, and this study – in addition to many more – point in precisely the opposite direction: instead of lowering LA intakes, raising intakes appears to be a healthier recommendation,” Dr. Harris continued. “These findings contradict a narrative, not previous research findings. There are many studies in the medical literature that are consistent with our findings here.”
Reference: “Red Blood Cell Omega-6 Fatty Acids and Biomarkers of Inflammation in the Framingham Offspring Study” by Heidi T. M. Lai, Nathan A. Ryder, Nathan L. Tintle, Kristina H. Jackson, Penny M. Kris-Etherton and William S. Harris, 21 June 2025, Nutrients.
DOI: 10.3390/nu17132076
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10 Comments
What ongoing debate? The only place there is debate around seed oil’s health factor is people who think vaccines cause autism and that raw milk is healthier, basically that whole anti-science tiktok nonsense community. The scientific community doesn’t really debate if seed oils are “healthy”. Seed oils are about as healthy as olive oil, which is also a seed oil and is considered the best example of an oil we can consume.
Seed oils are good in seeds. 1 to 1 omega 3 to omega 6. Sure.
Industry does not use organic. They process them with heat and chemicals so the won’t go rancid on the shelf. You end up with poison in my opinion.
You can buy cold-pressed extra-virgin certified organic seed oils. There are many farms that produce healthy seed oils.
Try reading the actual study (a key part of the scientific process) to find out the truth behind the “science” presented here. They used specific data pulled from this particular group of people to form a loose theory to support their findings and they state in their conclusion that more research is needed to confirm whether or not their findings are factual. Furthermore you will find that their study was backed solely by a soybean producer’s advocate tainting its validity as an unbiased review.
Vaccines do cause autism, idiot l
Chase – You are the idiot. Go away.
Context is key. Without testing for antioxidant status, with a control group, this is meaningless. The pertinent question with regards to poly fats is how it pertains to a western diet. Ie the effects of high polyunsaturated fats, in a typical western diet of highly processed and refined foods, given the issue is the oxidative byproducts of linoleic acid. Combine this with the fact we have no way of knowing the quality of the polyunsaturated fats, ie if they are organic and cold pressed, or highly refined refined, and all we have here is a waste of time as it answers no pertinent questions!
I can say with 100% certainly that high omega 6 absolutely has an impact on inflammation. I have been SURGICAL in my diet for the past 15 years. I know exactly what does what to my body. Problem is, most westerners don’t have the patience to flush their systems out. It takes at least a year before the impacts are noticed – at least for me it did.
What sort of impact does Omega 6 have. Good or bad?
well considering they’ve been part of asian and european diets for millennia…then yeah…they’re healthy…in moderation, like all real food.
NOT that plastic packaged stuff americans call food