Essential Oils: Consuming Omega-6 Fatty Acids Could Possibly Decrease Risk of Diabetes and Cardiovascular Diseases
Revamped Article:
Cardiometabolic health is a prime indicator of your body's cardiovascular and metabolic system's fitness.Lacking optimal cardiometabolic health can heighten your risk for ailments such as heart disease, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.The leading causes of mortality in the U.S. are atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases, which encompass heart attacks and strokes.Type 2 diabetes, a common affliction impacting approximately 10% of the adult population, raises the risk for cardiovascular disease and various other issues.Regarding lifestyle factors, diet plays a crucial role in conditioning your cardiometabolic health.A pair of recent studies, as presented at the American Society for Nutrition's annual meeting (NUTRITION 2025) led by Kevin C. Maki, PhD, adjunct professor in the School of Public Health-Bloomington at Indiana University and chief scientist at Midwest Biomedical Research, discovered that a high consumption of linoleic acid - an omega-6 fatty acid - can help uphold cardiometabolic health and lower the risk for heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
Unraveling Linoleic Acid
For these studies, scientists scrutinized medical data from 1,894 adult participants of an observational trial honed on COVID-19.The average age for study participants was 50, boasted a body mass index (BMI) of 29, and over half of them were female and non-Hispanic White.Researchers focused on the linoleic acid levels found in the serum of all participants' blood."Linoleic acid is predominantly stored in vegetable oils employed in cooking and numerous food products," shared Kevin C. Maki, PhD. A recent uproar has revolved around 'seed oils' such as corn oil and soybean oil. Some proponents have argued that these seed oils, rich in linoleic acid, facilitate inflammation."The level of linoleic acid in the blood is contingent on its dietary intake. Consequently, a higher consumption results in a higher concentration in the blood," Maki continued."We were intrigued to evaluate the concentration of linoleic acid in the blood to determine its impact on inflammation levels and blood glucose regulation."
Sherlock on Inflammation
Through examination, Maki and his colleagues found that study participants with a higher concentration of linoleic acid in their blood serum exhibited inversely correlated levels of inflammation biomarkers high-sensitivity C-reactive protein and glycoprotein acetyls."Chronic inflammation serves as a risk factor for cardiometabolic diseases," explained Maki."Excessive levels of C-reactive protein are linked to increased risks for heart attacks and strokes. There are also studies that indicate drugs reducing inflammation lower risks for heart attacks and strokes.""Our study findings do not align with the view that increased linoleic acid intake instigates inflammation," Maki underscored."Rather, they align more with the opposite view as higher levels of linoleic acid were associated with diminished inflammatory biomarkers.""It is essential to exercise caution since this was not an intervention study. We can only assert that we found the opposite of what one might expect if linoleic acid was provoking inflammation," added Maki."We can only conclude that we identified the opposite of what would have been predicted if linoleic acid was promoting inflammation."
How Linoleic Acid Curb Inflammation
Interestingly, researchers discovered that study participants with more linoleic acid in their serum also demonstrated preferable BMI and biomarkers of glucose homeostasis."Individuals with elevated BMI, along with higher fasting glucose and insulin levels, are risk factors for type 2 diabetes," Maki pointed out."Previous studies have established that individuals with abundant circulating linoleic acid have lower risks for developing type 2 diabetes, as our findings suggest."
Further Probing the Impact of Linoleic Acid
"While we should exercise caution in interpreting the results," Maki underlined,"our findings are consistent with favorable effects of linoleic acid consumption on cardiometabolic risk factors and do not support unfavorable effects, as some online influencers have claimed.""Intervention studies will be needed to further investigate the potential influence of changing linoleic acid intake on the risk factors we studied," Maki concluded.*
Children-Han Chen, MD, a board-certified interventional cardiologist and medical director of the Structural Heart Program at MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center in Laguna Hills, CA, offered commentary on these studies."This research found that increased blood levels of linoleic acid - an omega-6 fatty acid - were associated with reduced blood glucose levels and attenuated levels of inflammatory markers such as high-sensitivity C-reactive protein and glycoprotein acetyls," Chen said."These findings align with our understanding of linoleic acid - discovered in vegetable oil, nuts, and seeds - as promising for cardiometabolic health.""Heart disease continues to pose a significant burden on our healthcare system. Lifestyle modifications, including diet improvements, are critical in helping us optimize cardiometabolic health in patients, enhancing health outcomes," Chen added."Future research should delve into the impact of raised linoleic intake in the diet on the development of cardiovascular disease," he remarked.
If you are considering enhancing your linoleic acid intake for potential benefits to cardiometabolic health, consider the following insights.
A Word of Caution from a Nutrition Pro:"Nutrition science is seldom about a single nutrient in isolation - context is everything," encouraged Monique Richard, MS, RDN, LDN, a registered dietitian nutritionist and owner of Nutrition-In-Sight."Nutrition is about patterns, not just components. Linoleic acid is an essential omega-6 fatty acid, and like other nutrients, its benefit depends on its interaction with other nutrients. Foods that naturally contain linoleic acid, such as sunflower seeds, walnuts, tofu, eggs, and fish, come bundled with fiber, protein, vitamins, and minerals, not just isolated fats."Richard suggested consuming a variety of both monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats."Consider linoleic acid and other fatty acids to be accessories or companions that help bring out the food's taste, such as in a saute, marinade, sauce, or a vehicle to add spice, herbs, or enhance mouthfeel and moisture," she continued."Individuals with conditions like diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and metabolic syndrome should be aware of overall dietary patterns, the quality of ingredients, and amounts," Richard concluded."It is important to note the crucial and optimal balance of the ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids (is) something a registered dietitian nutritionist can assist in assessing," Richard added.
- Kevin C. Maki, PhD, revealed that higher consumption of linoleic acid, an omega-6 fatty acid, can help maintain cardiometabolic health and lower the risk for heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
- Researchers found that study participants with a higher concentration of linoleic acid in their blood serum exhibited inversely correlated levels of inflammation biomarkers such as high-sensitivity C-reactive protein and glycoprotein acetyls.
- Maki's study findings do not support the view that increased linoleic acid intake instigates inflammation, but rather align with the opposite view, as higher levels of linoleic acid were associated with diminished inflammatory biomarkers.
- Study participants with more linoleic acid in their serum also demonstrated preferable BMI and biomarkers of glucose homeostasis, suggesting a lower risk for developing type 2 diabetes.
- Maki cautioned that the study findings should be interpreted with care, as it was not an intervention study, and further intervention studies will be needed to investigate the potential influence of changing linoleic acid intake on risk factors.
- Heart disease continues to pose a significant burden on our healthcare system, and lifestyle modifications, including diet improvements, are critical in helping optimize cardiometabolic health, especially for individuals with conditions like diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and metabolic syndrome.
