Seed Oils & Inflammation: Study Results
- New research presented at NUTRITION 2025 in Orlando, Fla., indicates that linoleic acid, a key omega-6 fatty acid, may play a role in reducing the risk of heart...
- Linoleic acid is predominantly found in vegetable oils, especially seed oils like soybean and corn oil, as well as in various plant-based foods.
- Maki, adjunct professor at the Indiana University School of Public Health-Bloomington and chief scientist at Midwest Biomedical Research, noted the increasing scrutiny of seed oils.
Groundbreaking research presented at NUTRITION 2025 suggests linoleic acid, a crucial omega-6 fatty acid found in seed oils, may considerably lower the risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes. This study challenges the widespread belief that these oils are detrimental to health, revealing a positive correlation between linoleic acid levels and reduced cardiometabolic risk. Scientists analyzed data from nearly 1,900 individuals, discovering higher linoleic acid concentrations in blood plasma were linked to lower levels of glucose, insulin, and inflammation biomarkers. These findings echo previous studies, indicating the potential benefits of linoleic acid intake. This news, brought to you by news Directory 3, underscores the need for an informed outlook. Discover what’s next as further studies investigate the impact of varying oil types on cardiometabolic health.
Linoleic Acid May lower Heart Disease and Diabetes Risk, Study finds
Updated June 22, 2025
New research presented at NUTRITION 2025 in Orlando, Fla., indicates that linoleic acid, a key omega-6 fatty acid, may play a role in reducing the risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes. The findings challenge the notion that seed oils,a primary source of linoleic acid,are detrimental to cardiometabolic health.
Linoleic acid is predominantly found in vegetable oils, especially seed oils like soybean and corn oil, as well as in various plant-based foods. it is the most commonly consumed omega-6 fatty acid in most diets.
Kevin C. Maki, adjunct professor at the Indiana University School of Public Health-Bloomington and chief scientist at Midwest Biomedical Research, noted the increasing scrutiny of seed oils. “There has been increasing attention on seed oils, with some claiming these oils promote inflammation and raise cardiometabolic risk,” Maki said. “Our study, based on almost 1,900 people, found that higher linoleic acid in blood plasma was associated with lower levels of biomarkers of cardiometabolic risk, including those related to inflammation.”
The study’s results align with previous observational studies that linked higher linoleic acid intake to reduced risks of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular events, such as heart attacks and strokes.Researchers analyzed data from 1,894 individuals involved in a COVID-19 observational cohort,using blood markers to objectively measure linoleic acid levels.
The analysis revealed that higher plasma levels of linoleic acid correlated with lower levels of glucose, insulin, and HOMA-IR, a marker for insulin resistance. Participants also exhibited reduced levels of inflammation biomarkers, including C-reactive protein, glycoprotein acetyls, and serum amyloid A.
Maki emphasized the consistency of the findings across various biomarkers. “We saw consistent results across the different biomarkers measured,” he said. “People with higher levels of linoleic acid in their blood tended to have a healthier overall risk profile for heart disease and diabetes.”
What’s next
The research team advocates for further intervention studies to determine whether increasing linoleic acid intake can improve cardiometabolic risk factors and decrease the incidence of heart attacks, strokes, and type 2 diabetes. Future research will explore how different types of oils, with varying fatty acid compositions, impact cardiometabolic risk factors.