222 | id == 222
222 | category_id == 18
222 | category_order == 15
222 | category_name == Weight
222 | category_color == #C47AC0
222 | slug == IL6-weight
222 | title == This Important Inflammation Gene May Cause Weight Gain (IL6)
222 | meta_description == IL6 is known as an inflammatory cytokine, but in certain forms, it may be anti-inflammatory & promote weight loss.
222 | summary == <p><strong>IL6 is known as an inflammatory cytokine, but in certain forms, it may be anti-inflammatory and promote weight loss. What is the difference? Find out here.</strong></p>
222 | overall_score_text == Weight Gain Score (based on IL6)
222 | image == https://sd-selfdecode-assets-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/blog/background/IL6--Weight-maybe-include-with-IL6R-post.jpg
222 | author_id == 1
222 | author_name == Jasmine Foster
222 | author_title == BSc, BEd
222 | author_order == 36
222 | author_photo == https://sd-selfdecode-assets-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/blog/author-photo/Jasmine.jpg
222 | author_intro == <p><strong>Jasmine received her BS from McGill University and her BEd from Vancouver Island University.</strong></p>    <p>Jasmine loves helping people understand their brains and bodies, a passion that grew out of her dual background in biology and education. From the chem lab to the classroom, everyone has the right to learn and make informed decisions about their health.</p>
222 | reviewer == None
222 | medical_reviewer_id == 11
222 | medical_reviewer_name == Puya Yazdi
222 | medical_reviewer_title == MD
222 | publish_date == 2020
222 | publish_date == 6
222 | publish_date == 19
222 | avg_rating == 5.0
222 | tags_id == 200
222 | tags_name == Appetite
222 | tags_id == 415
222 | tags_name == HPA axis
222 | tags_id == 502
222 | tags_name == Hypothalamus
222 | tags_id == 253
222 | tags_name == IL-6
222 | tags_id == 203
222 | tags_name == IL6 Gene
222 | tags_id == 165
222 | tags_name == Obesity
222 | tags_id == 115
222 | tags_name == Weight Gain
222 | tags_id == 184
222 | tags_name == Weight Loss
222 | permissions_favorite == False
222 | permissions_rate == False
222 | content_article == <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">This article is for informational purposes only. None of the information here should be taken as medical advice. If you are struggling to maintain a healthy weight, seek medical help. </span></em><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Keep in mind that these results are based on association studies, which are correlative and aren&rsquo;t necessarily causative. Any single genetic variant will typically contribute only a small proportion to the overall risk of the condition, and non-genetic factors play a large role in developing a condition as well. Therefore, just because you have one of these genotypes does not necessarily mean you are at an increased risk of developing this condition!</span></em></p> <h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">What is IL-6?</span></h2> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Interleukin-6 (</span><a href="http://selfhacked.com/blog/interleukin-6/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">IL-6</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">) is a cytokine that has either proinflammatory or anti-inflammatory properties, depending on the circumstances and the tissue that secretes it. It has complicated mechanisms of effect and interacts with many other cytokines and inflammatory signals [</span><a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24986424"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2278876/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">IL-6 is typically increased when the body is diseased or stressed. Conditions associated with increased IL-6 include obesity, chronic </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/63-factors-raising-stress-cortisol-level-backed-science/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">stress</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, too little sleep, overeating sugar, smoking, excess alcohol, and overly strenuous exercise [</span><a href="http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs00011-009-0060-4"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="http://www.pnas.org/content/100/15/9090.full.pdf"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="http://www.biomedcentral.com/content/pdf/1476-511x-9-125.pdf"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21525252"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1424390312001263"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15074399"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1600-0838.2011.01372.x/abstract"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">How Does IL6 Affect Weight Gain?</span></h2> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Under certain circumstances, IL-6 can be beneficial. IL-6 released after exercise, for example, sends signals to the </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/hypothalamus-101/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">hypothalamus</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> (a structure in the brain) that increase its sensitivity to </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/insulin-101/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">insulin</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and </span><a href="http://selfhacked.com/blog/all-about-leptin-its-role-in-chronic-inflammation-cfs-and-weight/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">leptin</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> [</span><a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosbiology/article?id=10.1371/journal.pbio.1000465"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">This is the likely mechanism by which exercise decreases appetite [</span><a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosbiology/article?id=10.1371/journal.pbio.1000465"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">This anti-inflammatory, appetite suppressant function of IL-6 might come as a surprise, given that this cytokine is best-known as a proinflammatory signal. However, IL-6 signalling is extremely complex, and certain forms may be beneficial [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6356226/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">IL-6 is also believed to stimulate the breakdown of fat for energy. Muscle cells need a lot of energy during exercise; the breakdown of fat by IL-6 helps provide that energy [</span><a href="https://europepmc.org/article/med/12843134"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://journals.physiology.org/doi/full/10.1152/ajpendo.00328.2010"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <h3><span style="font-weight: 400;">Chronic Inflammation: the Other Side of the Coin</span></h3> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">If you&rsquo;ve done a lot of reading about fat tissues, weight gain and inflammation, you might predict that people who are overweight produce more IL-6. Sure enough, obesity is an inflammatory state, and fat cells produce IL-6 [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4511728/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">IL-6 has mostly been studied for its ability to stimulate fat breakdown, and the production of IL-6 by fat tissue may be a defense mechanism against the buildup of too much fat. However, excess IL-6 is inflammatory and has been associated with many health problems; it is important to keep it in balance and not allow inflammation to get too high [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2913796/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400; background-color: #e8ebfc; border-left: 2px solid #4569fa; display: block; padding: 20px;">IL-6 can be either inflammatory or anti-inflammatory. In its anti-inflammatory form, it sends signals to the hypothalamus which increase leptin sensitivity and reduce appetite.</span></p> <h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Genetics of IL-6 &amp; Weight Gain</span></h2> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The connection between IL6 and obesity actually spans two genes: </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">IL6</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and its receptor, </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">IL6R</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></p> <h3><span style="font-weight: 400;">IL6 SNPs &amp; Weight</span></h3> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In the </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">IL6</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> gene, which codes for IL-6 itself, two SNPs have been associated with weight outcomes. The best-studied of these is rs1800795: at this SNP, the rare &lsquo;C&rsquo; allele produces less IL-6 than the common &lsquo;G&rsquo; allele. This low-expression &lsquo;C&rsquo; allele has been associated with weight gain in men [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC508984/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19833146"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Curiously, however, people with the heterozygous &lsquo;CG&rsquo; genotype at rs1800795 were found to enjoy the greatest weight loss benefits from exercise. People with this genotype had the largest spike in muscular IL-6 (the beneficial type that increases leptin sensitivity) when they trained. If you have the &lsquo;CG&rsquo; genotype at this SNP, exercise is likely to be even more beneficial for your weight management program than for others who do not have this variant [</span><a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3761487/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The other </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">IL6</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> variant with a recorded link to weight gain is rs10242595; here, the common &lsquo;A&rsquo; allele was associated with lower relative fat mass in a study of white men [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2885503/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <h3><span style="font-weight: 400;">IL6R SNPs &amp; Weight</span></h3> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">IL6R</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> codes for the IL-6 receptor, the protein on target cells that binds to IL-6 and ensures that the cell receives its signals. Here, three variants (rs2229238-T, rs4845623-G, and rs2228145-C) have been associated with weight gain in specific populations [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20856253"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14680981"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The rs2229238-T variant has been associated with increased abdominal fat in young Taiwanese girls and with increased BMI in indigenous Pima people (native to Arizona) [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20856253"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14680981"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The rs4845623-G and rs2228145-C variants have been associated with increased BMI in indigenous Pima people only; no studies have investigated the relationship of these SNPs to weight in other populations so far [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14680981"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="background-color: #e8ebfc; border-left: 2px solid #4569fa; display: block; padding: 20px;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Variants in both the </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">IL6</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> gene and its receptor, </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">IL6R</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">, have been associated with fat deposition, BMI, and other measures of weight gain.</span></span></p> <h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">Your IL6 Results for Obesity</span></h2> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Note: Because this post is about weight management, the table below assumes that high-expression </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">IL6</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">IL6R</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> variants are &ldquo;beneficial&rdquo; and so they are represented in green. However, IL-6 can be inflammatory and damaging in other contexts. We recommend checking out our other posts on </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">IL6</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> to see how this gene interacts with various conditions.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Furthermore, because many popular weight-loss strategies actually decrease inflammatory IL-6, stick around to the end of this post even if you have high-expression variants and lots of green faces. Your personalized strategies will reflect your naturally high IL-6 levels.</span></p> <p>*6978457483652949*</p> <h3><span style="font-weight: 400;">SNP Summary and Table</span></h3> <p><strong>IL6 rs1800795</strong></p> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;G&rsquo; = Not associated with weight gain; higher-expression allele</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;C&rsquo; = Associated with weight gain in men; lower-expression allele</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;CG&rsquo; = Heterozygous genotype associated with more weight loss due to exercise</span></li> </ul> <p><strong>IL6 rs10242595</strong></p> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;A&rsquo; = Associated with lower relative fat mass measurements in Caucasian men</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;G = Associated with higher relative fat mass measurements in Caucasian men</span></li> </ul> <p><strong>IL6R rs2229238</strong></p> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;C&rsquo; = Not associated with weight measures</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;T&rsquo; = Associated with increased abdominal fat in Taiwanese girls and indigenous Pima people</span></li> </ul> <p><strong>IL6R rs4845623</strong></p> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;A&rsquo; = Not associated with weight measures</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;G&rsquo; = Associated with higher BMI in indigenous Pima people</span></li> </ul> <p><strong>IL6R rs2228145</strong></p> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;A&rsquo; = Not associated with weight measures</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;C&rsquo; = Associated with higher BMI in indigenous Pima people</span></li> </ul> <p>*2128039053878023*</p> <h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">Recommendations for Weight Management</span></h2> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">You may try the complementary approaches listed below if you and your doctor determine that they could be appropriate for you. Discuss the strategies listed here with your doctor. Remember that none of them should ever be done in place of what your doctor recommends or prescribes.</span></em></p> <p>*4686332890235816*</p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Note: as we have seen, the effects of IL-6 are complex: some positive, some negative. Many common weight loss strategies decrease IL-6, while others&mdash;like exercise&mdash;increase beneficial IL-6 production. We will discuss some of each so that you can tailor your weight loss strategies to your genes: if you have low IL-6 variants, strategies that increase beneficial IL-6 may be more appropriate, and vice versa.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The recommendations below have been divided into strategies for people with low IL-6 and strategies for people with high IL-6. Your overall score (which you can see at the top of this page) can help guide you to choose the best strategies for you.</span></p> <h3><span style="font-weight: 400;">If You See the Red or Yellow Face at the Top of This Post...</span></h3> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">If you see the red or yellow face at the top of this post, that means that you have genetic variants that confer lower IL-6 and possible weight gain. The gene-based recommendations for weight loss below can help increase beneficial IL-6 signalling from muscle cells to the hypothalamus.</span></p> <h4><span style="font-weight: 400;">Exercise</span></h4> <p><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/top-14-proven-health-benefits-exercise-references-mechanisms/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Exercise</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> increases the production of beneficial IL-6 by muscle tissues. IL-6 produced by the muscles sends signals to the hypothalamus to increase leptin sensitivity and reduce appetite. People with lower expression of </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">IL6 </span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">and </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">IL6R </span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">may enjoy greater weight-loss benefits from exercise; those with the heterozygous &lsquo;CG&rsquo; genotype at rs1800795 most of all [</span><a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosbiology/article?id=10.1371/journal.pbio.1000465"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3761487/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">High-intensity exercise is probably the best strategy to </span><a href="http://selfhacked.com/blog/a-comprehensive-list-of-effective-ways-to-lose-weight/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">lose weight</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">. In addition to promoting fat burning, the increased </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/norepinephrine-stress-hormone/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">norepinephrine</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> production may suppress food intake according to a study in rats [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/5124188"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Being active burns calories and jump-starts metabolism. Some studies suggest it also </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/a-comprehensive-list-of-natural-ways-to-increase-bdnf/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">increases </span></a><a href="../../article/boost-plasticity-with-the-bdnf-gene-50"><span style="font-weight: 400;">BDNF</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, which supports mental health and might cause us to eat less [</span><a href="http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/neuro.24.005.2010/full"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/top-14-proven-health-benefits-exercise-references-mechanisms/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Exercise </span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">also increases </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/endorphins/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">endorphins</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, which activates mu-opioid receptors and also suppresses appetite [</span><a href="http://www.news-medical.net/news/20120717/Mu-opioid-receptors-put-brakes-on-appetite.aspx"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Aerobic exercise (like walking, running, swimming, etc) has also been shown to cause major reductions in belly fat in multiple studies [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17637702"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21951360"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Although the reason is not fully understood, </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/health-benefits-yoga/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">yoga</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> can be a useful tool for </span><a href="http://selfhacked.com/blog/a-comprehensive-list-of-effective-ways-to-lose-weight/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">weight loss</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> too [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4995338/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5098025/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">,</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5198375/"><span style="font-weight: 400;"> R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Exercise is the best strategy for weight loss for almost anyone, and the vast majority of doctors agree that you should stay physically fit, regardless of your genotype. However, people with low IL-6 may benefit more than others!</span></p> <p><span style="background-color: #e8ebfc; border-left: 2px solid #4569fa; display: block; padding: 20px;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Physical exercise is well-known to increase anti-inflammatory IL-6 in the hypothalamus, where it increases leptin sensitivity and reduces appetite. Exercise may be most beneficial for people with low-expression </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">IL6 </span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">or </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">IL6R </span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">variants.</span></span></p> <h4><span style="font-weight: 400;">Improved Sleep Schedule</span></h4> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">IL-6 concentrations change dramatically over the course of a night&rsquo;s </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/health-benefits-sleep/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">sleep</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">. Some researchers believe that sleep deprivation decreases IL-6, which may help explain why loss of sleep depresses the immune system and makes us more susceptible to infection [</span><a href="https://academic.oup.com/jcem/article/85/10/3597/2852263"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Dysregulated sleep, with increased REM sleep and decreased slow-wave sleep, may increase inflammatory IL-6 and cause its own set of problems. To balance IL-6 (in either direction), it is important to get a full night&rsquo;s sleep every night, going to bed and getting up at the same time each day if possible [</span><a href="https://academic.oup.com/jcem/article/85/10/3597/2852263"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22823398/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Research over the past few decades has recognized the importance of circadian biology in</span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/132-biological-mechanisms-for-weight-modulation/"><span style="font-weight: 400;"> obesity</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">. Scientists think that circadian biology may have a massive influence on energy balance and metabolism [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4013188/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In lab settings, mice who ate at the wrong time (when it&rsquo;s dark for humans) gained more weight, despite the absence of any significant differences in calorie intake or activity over the course of the experiment. The authors suspect that their metabolism shifted [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4013188/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">According to another theory, a disrupted </span><a href="http://selfhacked.com/blog/what-it-means-to-keep-to-a-circadian-rhythm/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">circadian rhythm</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> may be why shift workers seem to be at an increased risk of obesity [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20122305"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400; background-color: #e8ebfc; border-left: 2px solid #4569fa; display: block; padding: 20px;">IL-6 concentrations in the brain change dramatically over the course of a good night&rsquo;s sleep. For both IL-6 balance and weight loss, a regular sleep schedule is essential.</span></p> <h3><span style="font-weight: 400;">If You See the Green Face at the Top of This Post&hellip;</span></h3> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">If you see the green face at the top of this post, that means that you have genetic variants that confer higher than average IL-6, which may be associated with lower baseline weight, but a potential susceptibility to inflammation. If you are struggling to lose weight, you may wish to focus on strategies that have been found to both decrease IL-6 and improve weight loss outcomes.</span></p> <h3><span style="font-weight: 400;">Diet</span></h3> <h4><span style="font-weight: 400;">Fish &amp; Seafood</span></h4> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">DHA, an </span><a href="http://selfhacked.com/blog/top-22-science-based-health-benefits-of-fish-oil/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">omega-3</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> fatty acid found primarily in fish and seafood, has been found to decrease inflammatory IL-6. It may therefore be beneficial for those with high-expression </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">IL6 </span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">and </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">IL6R</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> variants [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18541548/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Fish is hypothesized to reduce leptin; higher leptin is associated with obesity. In young, overweight men, the inclusion of either lean or fatty fish or </span><a href="http://selfhacked.com/blog/top-22-science-based-health-benefits-of-fish-oil/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">fish oil</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> as part of an energy-restricted diet resulted in approximately 1 kg more weight loss after 4 weeks compared to a similar diet without seafood or a supplement [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15361771"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17502874"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="background-color: #e8ebfc; border-left: 2px solid #4569fa; display: block; padding: 20px;"><a href="http://selfhacked.com/blog/top-22-science-based-health-benefits-of-fish-oil/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">DHA</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> from fish and seafood decreases inflammatory IL-6 and may be most beneficial for people with high-expression </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">IL6</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> variants.</span></span></p> <h4><span style="font-weight: 400;">Fruits &amp; Vegetables</span></h4> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Fruits and vegetables are rich in antioxidant polyphenols, many of which have been found to decrease inflammatory IL-6. These include </span><a href="http://selfhacked.com/blog/top-11-science-based-health-benefits-apigenin/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">apigenin</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="http://selfhacked.com/blog/top-11-science-based-health-benefits-luteolin/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">luteolin</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.selfhacked.com/blog/quercetin-22-scientifically-proven-benefits-quercetin/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">quercetin</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/top-15-scientific-health-benefits-of-resveratrol-with-references/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">resveratrol</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, and </span><a href="http://selfhacked.com/blog/15-science-based-health-benefits-fisetin-1-favorite/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">fisetin</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, all of which are abundant in popular fruits and vegetables [</span><a href="http://www.academia.edu/4553048/Anti-inflammatory_activity_of_extracts_from_fruits_herbs_and_spices_Monika_Mueller_Stefanie_Hobiger_Alois_Jungbauer_Anti-inflammatory_Fruits_Herbs_Inflammation_Spices"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19954946"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="http://www.academia.edu/4553048/Anti-inflammatory_activity_of_extracts_from_fruits_herbs_and_spices_Monika_Mueller_Stefanie_Hobiger_Alois_Jungbauer_Anti-inflammatory_Fruits_Herbs_Inflammation_Spices"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="http://ard.bmj.com/content/71/Suppl_1/A90.2"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18958421"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Vegetables are rich in soluble fiber, which has been shown to cause weight loss in some studies. Fiber gets broken down by bacteria in the digestive tract to produce </span><a href="http://selfhacked.com/blog/health-benefits-butyrate-derivatives-sodium-butyrate-phenylbutyrate-trybutyrine-butyric-acid-butyrate-prodrugs-butyrate-producing-bacteria/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">butyrate</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, which has weight loss effects in animals [</span><a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S019566639790091X"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18031592"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21810257"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2699871/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Fruits are good, too. In a study of 91 obese individuals, eating half a fresh </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/grapefruit/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">grapefruit</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> before meals caused weight loss of 3.5 pounds (1.6 kg) over a period of 12 weeks [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16579728"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Polyphenols from various fruits (including </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/blueberries-health-benefits/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">blueberries</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and apples) led to lower weight in animal studies as well [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23936120"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23529981"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400; background-color: #e8ebfc; border-left: 2px solid #4569fa; display: block; padding: 20px;">Many polyphenols in fruits and vegetables have been found to decrease IL-6 and promote weight loss; vegetables rich in soluble fiber have improved weight loss outcomes as well. Fruits and vegetables may be especially important for people with high IL-6.</span></p> <h4><span style="font-weight: 400;">Olive Oil</span></h4> <p><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/olive-oil/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Olive oil</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> is anti-inflammatory and has been found to reduce IL-6 production [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2670406/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In a review of 11 clinical studies, olive oil-enriched diet significantly reduced BMI and waist circumference. Unlike oil in its natural form, supplementation with capsules was not effective [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30461730/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Scientists are investigating whether </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/oleic-acid-benefits/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">oleic acid</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, the main fatty acid found in olive oil, excites neurons that cause weight loss (</span><a href="https://www.selfdecode.com/gene/pomc/?utm_source=seo&amp;#38;utm_medium=selfhacked&amp;#38;utm_campaign=id00002"><span style="font-weight: 400;">POMC</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">) [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2681442/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <h3><span style="font-weight: 400;">Supplements</span></h3> <h4><span style="font-weight: 400;">Berberine</span></h4> <p><a href="http://selfhacked.com/blog/19-health-benefits-of-berberine-with-references/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Berberine</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> is an alkaloid with potent metabolic effects. People use berberine as a supplement to support weight control and </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/glucose/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">glucose</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> metabolism, and it has been found to decrease IL-6 in rats [</span><a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24676878"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Berberine supplementation reduced BMI and enhanced leptin sensitivity in 37 patients with metabolic syndrome. In another study, it caused an average </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/a-comprehensive-list-of-effective-ways-to-lose-weight/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">weight loss</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> of 5 lbs (2.3 kg) and lowered blood lipids [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3310165/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22739410"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">According to a 2020 review of human and animal studies, berberine might contribute to weight loss by improving </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/how-your-gut-microbiota-can-make-you-fat-or-thin/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">gut microbiota</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and glucose and fat metabolism [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32353823/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="background-color: #e8ebfc; border-left: 2px solid #4569fa; display: block; padding: 20px;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">People with high-expression </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">IL6 </span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">or </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">IL6R</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> variants may benefit from berberine, which decreased IL-6, enhanced leptin sensitivity, and improved weight loss symptoms in various studies.</span></span></p>
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222 | content_learn_more_2128039053878023_text == Based on the variants we looked at, your IL6 and IL6R genes are associated with roughly average weight gain and inflammation. However, this doesn't necessarily reflect your overall risk of obesity, just one gene related to it. Your ideal weight management strategies may increase anti-inflammatory IL-6 and decrease inflammatory IL-6. Read on to learn more.
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rsIDs = rs1800795,rs10242595,rs4845623,rs2228145,rs2229238
rsStatus = rs1800795,IL6,chr7,22727026,C,G,T,,6,27,HET
rsStatus = rs10242595,,chr7,22734612,G,A,C,T,17,10,HET
rsStatus = rs4845623,IL6R,chr1,154443301,A,G,,,36,20,HET
rsStatus = rs2228145,IL6R,chr1,154454494,A,C,T,,8,17,HET
rsStatus = rs2229238,IL6R,chr1,154465420,T,A,C,,36,0,Normal
