Macro partitioning
Higher circulating levels of linoleic acid (LA), the primary omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid, are associated with significantly lower total mortality and cardiovascular disease mortality in older adults, with no evidence of increased risk.
For older adults, maintaining higher levels of linoleic acid (found in vegetable oils like soybean, corn, and sunflower oil) is associated with a lower risk of dying from heart disease or other causes. This benefit appears independent of omega-3 intake, suggesting that consuming recommended amounts of LA-rich oils is safe and potentially beneficial for longevity.
In this prospective cohort study of older US adults, higher circulating LA was associated with lower total mortality... Among causes of mortality, LA demonstrated stronger inverse association with CVD death, in particular non-arrhythmic CHD death and CHF death, with ~50% lower risk across quintiles.
Why this rating
Large prospective cohort study (n=2,792) with long follow-up (18 years) and objective biomarkers, though observational design limits causal inference.
Source
Circulating Omega-6 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids and Total and Cause-Specific Mortality
Jason Wu et al. · Circulation · 2014
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