What’s Your Diet Type? >> FREE QUIZ <<

Get DNA test

IL6

IL6

Interleukin-6

rs1800795
rs1800796

Personalise Your Plant-Based Diet

  • Take the right supplements
  • Know exactly what to eat, when
  • Lose weight - and maintain it
Get Started

Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is an inflammatory cytokine released by cells of the immune system to help combat infection or injury. It’s expression is usually short-lived but can be chronically high in response to stress - especially in susceptible people.

Personalise Your Plant-Based Diet

Confused about what to eat?
Finding it difficult to manage your weight?
Not feeling 100%?

Get Started

What Is IL6?

Interleukin 6 (IL-6) is an interleukin that acts as both a pro-inflammatory cytokine and an anti-inflammatory myokine. In humans, it is encoded by the IL6 gene [1]. It’s good in small doses but can cause issues when chronically rasied.

IL-6 is released by smooth muscle in response to exercise or infection [2,3]. It’s good in small doses because it helps stimulate glucose production, repair muscle damage and mediates fever to fight infection.

High IL-6 levels can contribute to delayed-onset muscle soreness after exercise. With enough rest and recovery IL-6 levels usually reduce again. But problems arise when IL-6 levels stay high.

What are the effects?

Some people with certain genetic variations in IL6 have a tendency to higher IL-6 levels.

Higher IL-6 levels have been associated with:

  • More significant muscle damage from exercise [4].
  • Type 2 diabetes [5].
  • Autoimmune conditions [6].
  • Arthritis [7].
  • Certain mental health conditions [8,9].
  • COVID-19 susceptibility [10].
  • Some cancers [11].

What are the common genetic variations?

There are 2 common single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the IL6 gene.

[table id=7 /]

Diet Advice

Eat a diet rich in colourful plant-based foods

Antioxidants like vitamin C, vitamin E and phytonutrients reduce free radicals (or reactive oxygen species, ROS). This reduces the IL-6 response because IL-6 is released in response to the muscle damage caused by ROS [12-14].

Eat whole food carbohydrates before and during endurance exercise

Eat a source of carbohydrate before and during aerobic exercise (such as fruit or oats) like running or cycling when exercising for more than two hours. This inhibits IL-6 production [15,16].

Supplements

Magnesium

Try supplementing magnesium. 500 mg/day is found to reduce IL-6 levels and reduce muscle soreness after strenuous exercise [17].

Curcumin

2.5 g twice per day is shown to significantly reduce muscle pain 24 hours and 48 hours post-exercise. Curcumin actually raises IL-6 levels during exercise but reduces them 24 hours after. This suggests curcumin helps muscle adaptation [18,19].

Algal oil

Supplementing omega-3 – specifically DHA and EPA (not ALA!) – may attenuate increases in IL-6 levels [20-22].

Lifestyle Advice

Cold exposure

Cold exposure such as being immersed in cold water after exercise may also help. But it might not be more effective than active recovery (gentle warm-down exercises) [23].

Massage

Massage can significantly reduce IL-6 and CRP levels after exercise [24].

Gentle exercise

Low-moderate intensity exercise can reduce inflammatory markers while intense exercise may raise IL-6 [25].

Yoga and meditation

Yoga and meditation can significantly reduce cortisol and IL-6 levels, in addition to decreasing DNA damage and balancing oxidative stress [26].

Personalise Your Plant-Based Diet

  • Confused about what to eat?
  • Finding it difficult to manage your weight?
  • Not feeling 100%?

Sign up for free and get your 3 personalised actions to improve your diet today:

By signing up you agree to our T&Cs and Privacy Policy.

you may also like...

  1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gene/3569/
  2. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17201070/
  3. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25976513/
  4. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27294501/
  5. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15472205/
  6. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22734797/
  7. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9769329/
  8. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22571276/
  9. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30848077/
  10. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32425643/
  11. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26535637/
  12. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15169848/
  13. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11915781/
  14. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12571133/
  15. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28507168/
  16. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9134917/
  17. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31624951/
  18. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30402990/
  19. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25795285/
  20. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9547608/
  21. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14652498/
  22. https://journals.lww.com/cjsportsmed/Abstract/2011/03000/Omega_3_Fatty_Acids_Supplementation_Attenuates.10.aspx
  23. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27704555/
  24. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29755363/
  25. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29408464/
  26. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29614706/
Copyright © Vojo Health Ltd 2023. All rights reserved.

While testing can be helpful in finding out more about your nutrition needs, they’re only one part of the picture and we don’t recommend using the results in isolation. Our products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. If you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication, or have a medical condition, consult with your GP.