Reducing or Controlling IL-6
 So, even though there’s a lot of evidence that IL-6 increases lipolysis and promotes fat burning in skeletal muscle, two real questions remain— is it good for you and how does one control it?
 Clearly, high amounts of IL-6 aren’t good in the bloodstream or the liver. Yet, when IL-6 acts on the fat cells, it increases the amount of fat released; IL-6 protects muscles from inflammation, preserves insulin function and increases fat burning; and IL-6 suppresses the appetite and increases the metabolism in certain centers of the brain. The second question— how one controls it— becomes more relevant.

 Reducing systemic IL-6 is crucial to long-term health, as it’s associated with disease states that decrease lifespan and quality of life (diabetes, cardiovascular disease, insulin resistance). Also, remember that IL-6 concentrations are markedly higher around muscle and fat, so a relative drop in blood IL-6 that might promote health isn’t likely to impair fat loss.
 IL-6 levels have been noted to decrease with weight loss in the obese, through diet and exercise (though not so much from diet alone), in athletic populations and when fish oil replaces carbohydrates in the diet. A carbohydrate-restricted diet reduces CRP and TNF, two other components of inflammation, but IL-6 levels won’t change through carbohydrate restriction alone.
 Several medications have been suggested to treat a state of chronic inflammation (elevated inflammatory cytokines), including: thiazolidinediones (TZD), statins, aspirin, angiotensin-converting-enzyme inhibitors and angiotensin-receptor blockers. Recent headlines have promoted the effectiveness of one TZD called Avandia in not only treating, but also preventing type 2 diabetes. Combining this news with the reports of Avandia being able to lower adipokines and reduce bodyweight makes it a promising drug to consider.
 Statins, particularly pravastatin (Pravachol), are being investigated for their ability to reduce cytokine-related ills. Reducing morbidity and mortality by controlling inflammation and the maladies associated with fat-related cytokines is generating a tremendous amount of clinical interest at this time.

 For those interested in evaluating their risks relating to chronic inflammation, a simple lab test called C-reactive protein can be ordered. If elevated, it may indicate a need to exercise more (intense weight training rather than low-intensity cardio), lose fat, replace carbohydrates with fish oil and discuss the previously mentioned medications with your personal physician. While IL-6 holds a very important role in regulating fat, it needs to be controlled lest it causes damage that may shorten lives or make them less enjoyable.

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