Red Blood Cell Omega-6 Fatty Acids and Biomarkers of Inflammation in the Framingham Offspring Study.

Background/objectives: Chronic inflammation is recognized as an important risk factor for a variety of health disorders. Omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (-6 PUFAs), particularly linoleic (LA) and arachidonic acid (AA), have been shown to be either pro- or anti-inflammatory, and researchers have advocated both for and against reducing their dietary intake. This study sought to correlate the levels of ten inflammation-related biomarkers across multiple pathways with red blood cell (RBC) membrane levels of the major dietary and circulating -6 PUFAs.