Recently a new study in the journal Nutrients provides new insight to the age-old controversy about omega-6 fatty acids and their purported role in causing inflammation.

To examine this, scientists looked to data from the Framingham Offspring Study  a highly regarded, decades-long investigation following up on the children of participants in the original Framingham Heart Study to gain insight into cardiovascular and metabolic health decades later.

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In this cross-sectional study, researchers quantified the concentrations of LA and another omega-6 fatty acid, arachidonic acid (AA), in the blood of 2,700 participants and compared them to 10 various biomarkers for inflammation and oxidative stress.

After controlling for a number of possible confounders — such as age, sex, race, smoking status, blood pressure, cholesterol level, and body weight — the research revealed that those who had higher blood levels of LA had significantly decreased levels of five of the 10 biomarkers.

Crucially, none of the markers were raised with greater LA levels. In the same vein, higher AA levels were associated with lower levels of four biomarkers, and there were no indications of increased inflammation.

"These findings clearly indicate that individuals with the highest concentrations of LA and AA in their blood are less inflammatory than others who have lower levels," said Dr. William S. Harris, study author and president of the Fatty Acid Research Institute.

"This totally refutes the idea that omega-6 fatty acids are pro-inflammatory. Instead, they seem to be anti-inflammatory."

Dr. Harris also condemned the increasing practice of eschewing seed oils due to lack of information.

Overall, the research dispels the general perception that omega-6 fatty acids — and especially seed oil omega-6s promote inflammation. Rather, indications point to them potentially having a protective, anti-inflammatory function within the body.