66 | id == 66
66 | category_id == 9
66 | category_order == 6
66 | category_name == Longevity
66 | category_color == #C47AC0
66 | slug == IL6-Longevity
66 | title == Longevity, Immunity, and IL6
66 | meta_description == The IL6 gene may contribute to longevity by balancing the immune system & inflammation. Find out more about this gene here!
66 | summary == <p style="text-align:justify"><strong><em>IL6</em> is one of many genes that may affect longevity. Research suggests that this gene may have a small but significant effect on the likelihood of reaching extremely old age (&gt;85) &mdash; likely by balancing the immune system. Read on to learn more about the <em>IL6</em> gene and how it works!</strong></p>
66 | overall_score_text == Longevity Score (based on IL6 gene)
66 | image == https://sd-selfdecode-assets-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/blog/background/IL6_Longevity_post.jpg
66 | author_id == 10
66 | author_name == Biljana Novkovic
66 | author_title == PhD
66 | author_order == 50
66 | author_photo == https://sd-selfdecode-assets-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/blog/author-photo/Biljana.jpg
66 | author_intro == <p><strong>Biljana received her PhD in Ecological Genetics from Hokkaido University.</strong></p>    <p>Before joining SelfHacked, she was a research scientist with extensive field and laboratory experience. She spent 4 years reviewing the scientific literature on supplements, lab tests and other areas of health sciences. She is passionate about releasing the most accurate science &amp; health information available on topics, and she&#39;s meticulous when writing and reviewing articles to make sure the science is sound. She believes that SelfHacked has the best science that is also layperson-friendly on the web.</p>
66 | reviewer_id == 4
66 | reviewer_name == Matt Carland
66 | reviewer_title == PhD
66 | medical_reviewer_id == 11
66 | medical_reviewer_name == Puya Yazdi
66 | medical_reviewer_title == MD
66 | publish_date == 2019
66 | publish_date == 10
66 | publish_date == 29
66 | avg_rating == 4.5
66 | tags_id == 202
66 | tags_name == Aging
66 | tags_id == 203
66 | tags_name == IL6 Gene
66 | tags_id == 95
66 | tags_name == Immune System
66 | tags_id == 24
66 | tags_name == Inflammation
66 | tags_id == 101
66 | tags_name == Longevity
66 | permissions_favorite == False
66 | permissions_rate == False
66 | content_article == <table style="width: 90%; border-collapse: collapse; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" border="1" cellpadding="10"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="width: 100%; text-align: justify;"><strong>Note:</strong><span style="font-weight: 400;"> In addition to its possible influence on longevity, the </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">IL6</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> gene may also be important when it comes to certain aspects of your physical fitness! We discuss </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">IL6</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> &mdash; as well as many other important genes &mdash; in SelfDecode&rsquo;s </span><a href="https://get.selfdecode.com/gene-reports/nm/fitness/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><em>Fitness DNA Wellness Report</em></strong></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">. If you&rsquo;re curious to learn more about the genetics of fitness, weight loss, and overall physical health, check it out!</span></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2 style="text-align: justify;"><strong>IL-6 and Aging</strong></h2> <p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://selfhacked.com/blog/interleukin-6/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Interleukin-6</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> (IL-6) is a </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">cytokine</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> &mdash; a signaling molecule released by cells to interact and communicate with other cells, mainly those of the immune system. As such, IL-6 plays important roles in the immune response. Research shows that, depending on the situation, IL-6 can have either pro- or anti-inflammatory properties [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26658771"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Being on the crossroads of both pro- and anti-inflammatory pathways, it's really important for IL-6 levels to be balanced. Studies suggest that having low IL-6 levels may impair immune function and may make people more vulnerable to infections. High IL-6 levels, on the other hand, have been linked to chronic inflammation and inflammatory disease [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25898198"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">In the absence of infection or inflammation, the activity of the </span><a href="http://selfhacked.com/blog/interleukin-6/"><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">IL6</span></em></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> gene is low and IL-6 levels are not normally detectable in the blood. However, scientists have discovered that</span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> IL6</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> gene activity and blood IL-6 levels gradually increase as we age [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26658771"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17851695"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">There are studies that suggest that this age-related increase in IL-6 may be associated with chronic inflammation &mdash; a process called "</span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">inflammaging</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">" &mdash; which may possibly contribute to the physical and mental decline that can come with aging [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24043651"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26658771"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400; background-color: #e8ebfc; border-left: 2px solid #4569fa; display: block; padding: 20px;">IL-6 is involved in immune system function, and can be both pro- or anti-inflammatory. Baseline levels of IL-6 are low, but gradually increase with age. Studies suggest that higher levels of IL-6 may be associated with age-related physical and mental decline.</span></p> <h2 style="text-align: justify;"><strong>IL-6 and Longevity</strong></h2> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">There are many factors that may influence how well someone ages, and how long they can live. As it turns out, genes may only have a relatively small effect on overall longevity! For example, it is estimated that less than 10% of the variation in human lifespan is determined by genetics &mdash; and which genes, and exactly how they contribute to longevity, are not yet well-understood [</span><a href="https://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/primer/traits/longevity"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.genetics.org/content/210/3/1109"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]. Furthermore, this 10% refers to the population level and doesn't apply to any single person as an individual: in other words, just because you may have a "bad" genetic variant does not mean your lifespan will get reduced by 10% (and that's 10% of the variance between lifespans, not 10% of a human lifespan). The takeaway here is that lifestyle, dietary, and other non-genetic factors are ultimately way more important when it comes to longevity than genes &mdash; so at the end of the day, your best bet for living a longer life is to focus on the factors that you can control!</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">When it comes to the genetic aspects of longevity, studies suggest that there are many genes associated with lifespan. However, any single one of these genes generally plays only a very modest and limited role in the overall picture &mdash; and </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">IL6</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> is one such gene.</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">In addition to its relatively minor contribution, the relationship between </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">IL6 </span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">and lifespan is not a simple one. While we may be tempted to conclude that lower IL-6 levels are generally better based on the studies that looked at IL-6 blood levels, studies that have looked at SNPs in this gene and longevity suggest otherwise.</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: #e8ebfc; border-left: 2px solid #4569fa; display: block; padding: 20px;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">According to research, genetic factors may be responsible for about 10% of individual differences in longevity. In addition, </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">IL6</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> is only one of many genes that each play minor, modest roles in determining overall longevity &mdash; so make sure to take your results for any single gene or SNP with a grain of salt!</span></span></p> <h3 style="text-align: justify;"><strong>rs1800795 and Longevity</strong></h3> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Take for example one of the most commonly-studied SNPs in <a href="../../gene/il6/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the </a></span><a href="../../gene/il6/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">IL6</span></em></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"><a href="../../gene/il6/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> gene</a>, <strong><a href="../../snp/rs1800795/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">rs1800795</a></strong> (also known as the &ldquo;&minus;174 G&gt;C&rdquo; polymorphism). The 'G' allele of this SNP has been linked with higher levels of IL-6, while the 'C' allele has been associated with lower IL-6 levels.</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">A meta-analysis found that it was in fact the 'G' allele that may be associated with exceptional longevity (&gt;85 years), although the size of these effects were relatively modest [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29890178"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Similarly, in a Danish study, scientists found that the 'GG' genotype was relatively more common in the very oldest of old people, which led these researchers to suggest that this genotype may somehow be advantageous for longevity [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15130757"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">It's important to point out that studies often disagree when it comes to this SNP, as there are also studies which have reported that the 'C' allele is more advantageous in certain populations. Furthermore, other studies have found no association between </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">IL6</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and longevity at all [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21277639"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15462469"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4841709/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11640949"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">It's therefore plausible that different alleles may be beneficial in different settings and populations, depending on other genetic and non-genetic factors. That's why you should take the association of </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">IL6</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> with longevity as tentative and with a grain of salt.</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400; background-color: #e8ebfc; border-left: 2px solid #4569fa; display: block; padding: 20px;">Several studies suggest that the major 'G' allele of rs1800795 may be associated with longevity, but the overall evidence is still somewhat weak.</span></p> <h3 style="text-align: justify;"><strong>A Complex Relationship</strong></h3> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Scientists suggests that for successful aging there needs to be a balance between pro- and anti-inflammatory processes. For example, aging is accompanied by both a decline in immune function (&ldquo;</span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">immunosenescence</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">&rdquo;) and an increase in chronic low-grade inflammation ("</span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">inflammaging</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">") [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3592963/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]. IL-6 is a good example of a factor that can influence both.</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">It is plausible that higher or lower baseline IL-6 levels interact with various genetic and environmental cues in different populations to differentially impact longevity. For example, higher IL-6 activity may protect against infections and may keep the immune system in better shape, while lower IL-6 activity may decrease inflammation and &ldquo;inflammaging&rdquo;. Which of these is more beneficial may depend on the lifestyle and other genetic and environmental factors of the population in question. However, it's all conjecture at this point.</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">What we </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">do</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> know is that when it comes to rs1800795, both the 'G' and the 'C' alleles have their relatively advantages and drawbacks. For example, some studies suggest that the 'C' allele is associated with obesity, diabetes, blood clots, hardening of the arteries (</span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">atherosclerosis</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">), and heart disease [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22075267"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29957071"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31472475"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31338006"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29889576"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27399086"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]. The 'G' allele, on the other hand, is linked to inflammatory conditions such as </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">periodontitis</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> (inflammation of the gums) and rheumatoid arthritis [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23814583"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26511189"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28010120"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">At this point in time, there isn't enough evidence to draw any solid conclusions. Larger and more comprehensive studies will be needed to clarify the link between </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">IL6</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and longevity.</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: #e8ebfc; border-left: 2px solid #4569fa; display: block; padding: 20px;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Successful aging requires a sensitive balance between pro- and anti-inflammatory processes. It's possible that's where </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">IL6</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> comes into play. However, there isn't enough evidence yet to draw any solid conclusions.</span></span></p> <h2 style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Your <em>IL6</em> Results for Longevity</strong></h2> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">You can see your genotype for several </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">IL6</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> SNPs in the table below. However, remember that </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">IL6</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> is only one of many genes that together influence longevity, and that its effects are modest at best. It&rsquo;s also important to keep in mind that these results are based on association studies suggesting that certain genetic variants are more common in people with longer lifespans. However, more research will be needed to know what role, if any, these variants play in directly causing certain people to live longer &mdash; so take these results with a grain of salt!</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>*8954124414424658*</strong></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong><em>IL6</em></strong><strong><a href="../../snp/rs1800795/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> rs1800795</a>:</strong></p> <ul style="text-align: justify;"> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;G&rsquo; = Higher </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">IL6</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> gene activity (expression) and circulating IL-6 levels. May be beneficial for longevity.</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;C&rsquo; = Potentially lower </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">IL6</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> activity (expression) and circulating IL-6 levels. Possibly disadvantageous for longevity.</span></li> </ul> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">About 23% of people in the world carry the minor 'C' allele for this SNP. This variant, however, is much more common in Europeans, where the majority of people (69%) carry the &lsquo;C&rsquo; allele.</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong><em>IL6</em></strong><strong><a href="../../snp/rs2069837/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> rs2069837</a>:</strong></p> <ul style="text-align: justify;"> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;A&rsquo; = Higher </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">IL6</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> gene activity (expression) and circulating IL-6 levels. Potentially beneficial for longevity.</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;G&rsquo; = Lower </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">IL6 </span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">activity (expression) and circulating IL-6 levels. Potentially disadvantageous for longevity.</span></li> </ul> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">A study found that the minor 'G' allele was less frequent among Chinese who were over 100 years old [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4766491/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">About 22% of people carry the minor 'G' allele, which is slightly more common in Asians.</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong><em>IL6</em></strong><strong><a href="../../snp/rs2069827/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> rs2069827</a>:</strong></p> <ul style="text-align: justify;"> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;G&rsquo; = Unknown effect on </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">IL6</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> gene activity. Potentially less advantageous for longevity.</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;T&rsquo; = Unknown effect on </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">IL6 </span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">gene activity. Potentially beneficial for longevity.</span></li> </ul> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">One study suggests that old people with the 'T' allele ('TT' and 'GT' genotypes) may live slightly longer on average (around 0.7 years) [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3592963/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Less than 7% of people in the world carry the minor 'T' variant, which is more common in In Europe (21%).</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>*4437878124166037*</strong></p> <h2 style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Strategies to Balance Immune Response and Inflammation</strong></h2> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">As we discussed above, the effects of the </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">IL6 </span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">gene on longevity are relatively modest, and possibly modified by many other yet-unknown factors. However, studies do suggest that because of the effects of this cytokine on the immune system, it's best when its levels are balanced.</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">As always, it&rsquo;s extremely important to keep your doctor informed of any major lifestyle or dietary changes you make! This is because it&rsquo;s important to make sure that they won&rsquo;t have any negative interactions with any current medications, preexisting health conditions, or other important factors that could have significant consequences for your health &mdash; so always discuss these with your doctor first.</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>*4446305553372689*</strong></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">There are steps you can take to improve your immune system health and possibly lower IL-6-related chronic inflammation in the body. Better yet, these strategies are all associated with increased longevity in general, with a lot of very solid scientific and medical evidence to back them up!</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">These lifestyle factors include:</span></p> <ul style="text-align: justify;"> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><a href="http://selfhacked.com/blog/a-comprehensive-list-of-effective-ways-to-lose-weight/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Losing weight</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> [</span><a href="https://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="https://academic.oup.com/jcem/article/85/9/3338/2660647"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4032609/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Managing </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;"> [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12840146"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Getting enough </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/health-benefits-sleep/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">sleep</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22823398"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4067693/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Eating less, and especially less of simple carbs [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21525252"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5685139/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Not smoking, or quitting if you are current tobacco user [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19828434"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1447499/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3481021/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Avoiding alcohol in excess [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15074399"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4402015/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]</span></li> </ul> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Conversely, a good way to boost the anti-inflammatory effects of IL-6 is to engage in strenuous </span><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;"> [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11303145"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17242490"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3395188/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]. But remember that if you're unsure of your health, have existing medical conditions, or are pregnant, you should always speak with your doctor before starting a new exercise program! Work with your doctor to find an exercise program that's right for you.</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">And remember: studies suggest that your lifestyle and dietary choices ultimately have a significantly bigger impact on longevity than all of your genes put together &mdash; so choose wisely!</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400; background-color: #e8ebfc; border-left: 2px solid #4569fa; display: block; padding: 20px;">Lifestyle and dietary choices have a large impact on successful aging and longevity. Exercise may help enhance the anti-inflammatory effects of IL-6, while things like weight loss, sleep, avoiding/managing stress, and eating a healthy diet may help decrease the pro-inflammatory effects of IL-6.</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</p>
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66 | content_learn_more_4437878124166037_text == Based on the variants we looked at, your IL6 gene may not affect your longevity. However, remember that IL6 is only one of many genes that together account for less than 10% of individual differences in longevity, and a healthy lifestyle is significantly more important when it comes to longevity than genes! Keep scrolling to find out more.
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rsIDs = rs1800795,rs2069827,rs2069837
rsStatus = rs1800795,IL6,chr7,22727026,C,G,T,,6,27,HET
rsStatus = rs2069827,IL6,chr7,22725837,G,C,T,,29,0,Normal
rsStatus = rs2069837,IL6,chr7,22728408,A,C,G,,31,0,Normal
