Research

Mixed

Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) like butyrate and acetate, produced by gut microbiota from fiber, exert anti-atherogenic effects by binding to FFAR2 receptors, reducing pro-inflammatory cytokine production, and promoting regulatory T cell activity.

Increase fiber intake (vegetables, fruits, legumes, whole grains) to support gut bacteria that produce SCFAs, which may help reduce vascular inflammation.

ModerateSupportsMEDIUM confidence
SCFAs, by binding G protein-coupled free fatty acids receptors (FFARs; in particular isoform 2) [48], are significantly expressed in immune cells [49] and promote mechanisms engaged in the resolution of vascular inflammation.
Elisa Mattavelli et al. · Nutrients · 2021

Why this rating

Based on experimental models (mice, in vitro), with 'scattered evidence' for human translation.

Source

Molecular Immune-Inflammatory Connections between Dietary Fats and Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease: Which Translation into Clinics?

Elisa Mattavelli et al. · Nutrients · 2021

DOI 10.3390/nu13113768

narrative_reviewCited 12×
Read the paper
DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10

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