immune · Outcome
Systemic low-grade inflammation. Tracked by hs-CRP, IL-6, and TNF-alpha. Chronic elevation accelerates almost every age-related disease.
How to measure: hs-CRP from a standard panel (target under 1 mg/L). IL-6 if available. ESR is older but still informative.
Three levers, one stack. Each works through a different mechanism. They compound.
27% lower inflammation
2-3 g combined EPA/DHA · With largest meal
Evidence
Effect size
Research
159 papers
range 0.1–63 · n=6 quantitative claims
“DHA supplementation significantly reduced interleukin-6 (IL-6) response by 32% in the acute phase (days 1-4) following eccentric exercise.”
Why: Mechanism is well-characterized (specialized pro-resolving mediators from EPA/DHA). Most people are deficient because Western diets are omega-6 dominant. Aim for an Omega-3 Index of 8% or higher if you measure.
Minimal
150-240 min/week at conversational pace · 3-5 sessions weekly
Evidence
Effect size
Research
13 papers
7 small · 6 moderate · 1 large · 3 unclear
Evidence pending
2-3 servings per week · Anytime
Evidence
Effect size
Research
None
Everything we found, ranked by how strongly we recommend it. Tap any to see the studies.
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Every pick has two signals. They answer different questions and we never bundle them into one number.
Effect size
How big is the change on inflammation status, in the units that matter for this outcome.
Confidence
How sure are we the effect is real for inflammation status, given the studies we have.
For every pick, the “papers” number is how many studies we've cataloged that test this entity for inflammation status. “Favorable” means the study reported the direction you want.
The tier badge (S, A, B…) on the entity itself is its overall research confidence across all outcomes. It's the same letter wherever you see this entity on the site, not specific to inflammation status.
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“Exercise significantly reduces interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels in older adults.”
Why: Regular cardio is the most powerful anti-inflammatory intervention that doesn't come in a bottle. Effect compounds with weight loss but holds in weight-stable trials.
Why: Eating fish beats taking capsules on most outcomes. The protein and selenium load matters too.