Nutrition research
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Investigations suggest a protective role of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) but opposing roles of n-6 PUFA in inflammation, but the effects in vivo the human are not clear. We therefore tested the hypothesis that higher intakes of n-3 PUFA and n-6 PUFA are associated with lower levels of inflammation among a population consuming a diet high in PUFA. This study aimed to assess the association between PUFA intake and serum C-reactive protein (CRP) concentrations in a group of Japanese employees. ⋯ In men, there were statistically significant inverse relationships between dietary intake of n-3 or n-6 PUFA and serum CRP concentrations (P for trend = .03 and .008, respectively). Among specific PUFA, only alpha-linolenic acid and linoleic acid showed clear inverse relationships (P for trend = .001 and .003, respectively) in men. The results suggest that increased intake of not only alpha-linolenic acid (n-3 PUFA) but also linoleic acid (n-6 PUFA) has a beneficial effect on systemic inflammation in men.