The complex world of omega fatty acids |
Last month, the Sunday Supplement reported on research showing omega-6 fatty acids could protect the heart and prevent diabetes. Now, a large study of over 15,000 people found a link betweenboth omega-3 and omega-6 fats to higher levels of inflammatory markers in the blood. This doesn’t contradict our earlier report on the health benefits of polyunsaturated fats, but it does show that the relationship between fats and health is nothing if not nuanced.
The latest research examined people in two major long-term UK health studies. Scientists found that higher levels of both types of fatty acids were associated with glycoprotein acetyls (GlycA), biomarkers linked to cardiovascular risk and chronic inflammation.
“This was unexpected, especially for omega-3s, which are widely promoted as anti-inflammatory,” explained Dr. Thomas Holland from the RUSH Institute for Healthy Aging. However, he notes that the immune system is complex, and omega fatty acids might influence other pathways not captured in this study.
The ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 was most strongly linked to inflammation across all markers tested. A century ago, people consumed about 4 parts omega-6 to 1 part omega-3. Today, that ratio has increased to 15 to 20:1 due to modern diets rich in processed oils.
“Our findings suggest it's not as simple as ‘omega-3 is anti-inflammatory, and omega-6 is pro-inflammatory,’” noted lead researcher Daisy Crick. “Instead, our results suggest that it might be more useful to look at the balance or ratio between omega-6 and omega-3 in the diet.”
For more on how this research might change healthy fat recommendations, jump to "Unsaturated fats may not always be anti-inflammatory, study finds."
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