Biomarkers · Inflammation
Interleukin-6 (IL-6)
Lower values go with lower risk of death. Not measured in our NHANES panel. The curve is drawn from the published study (source below).
IL-6 and risk of death
Published curve higher than the NHANES fitNHANES fit higher
Risk of death relative to the curve's reference value, drawn from the published study (source below).
IL-6 by age and sex
Each bar runs from the 5th to the 95th percentile, the darker part from the 25th to the 75th, and the tick is the median. Not a reference range or a target.
The percentiles as a table
| Sex | Age | 5th | 25th | Median | 75th | 95th | n | Cycle / source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All | 40-59 | 0.73 | 1.34 | 2.28 | 3.85 | 9.02 | 353 | MIDUS 3 Biomarker Proj… |
| All | 60+ | 1.16 | 2.10 | 3.29 | 5.11 | 12.1 | 394 | MIDUS 3 Biomarker Proj… |
| All | all | 0.92 | 1.76 | 2.82 | 4.58 | 11.6 | 747 | MIDUS 3 Biomarker Proj… |
| Men | 40-59 | 0.75 | 1.29 | 2.11 | 3.85 | 12.4 | 135 | MIDUS 3 Biomarker Proj… |
| Men | 60+ | 1.16 | 2.21 | 3.32 | 5.12 | 12.0 | 195 | MIDUS 3 Biomarker Proj… |
| Men | all | 0.91 | 1.75 | 2.92 | 4.75 | 12.1 | 330 | MIDUS 3 Biomarker Proj… |
| Women | 40-59 | 0.68 | 1.55 | 2.38 | 3.85 | 8.16 | 218 | MIDUS 3 Biomarker Proj… |
| Women | 60+ | 1.16 | 2.08 | 3.28 | 5.11 | 12.0 | 199 | MIDUS 3 Biomarker Proj… |
| Women | all | 0.92 | 1.78 | 2.75 | 4.43 | 10.6 | 417 | MIDUS 3 Biomarker Proj… |
What studies found when this marker was changed
They describe what happened in those study groups, not a recommendation. See all catalogued interventions.
Measured changes in IL-6, study by study
1 effect with a numeric size, each from one study arm: the dot is the reported change, the line its 95% interval where one was given. Green points move the marker the way lower risk of death lies; amber the other way. Study results in the groups studied, not predictions for a person.
| Type | Intervention | Reported effect | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| exercise | Regular aerobic endurance training | Aerobic training gave the greatest IL-6 improvement among exercise types across 55 RCTs in middle-aged/older adults (effect size not reported) | meta-analysis | Xu X, et al. Exercise Effects on Inflammatory Markers in Middle-Aged and Older… |
| nutraceutical | Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (EPA/DHA 2-4g/day) | Marine n-3 PUFA supplementation significantly lowered IL-6 across 68 RCTs; longer duration gave larger effect (effect size not reported) | meta-analysis | Li K, et al. Effect of marine-derived n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids on… |
Things that worsen it
| Type | Condition or exposure | Reported effect | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| behavioral | Chronic psychosocial stress (dementia caregiving) | Dementia caregivers' average rate of IL-6 increase over 6 years was about four times that of noncaregivers | prospective cohort | Kiecolt-Glaser JK, et al. Chronic stress and age-related increases in the… |
| lifestyle | Visceral adiposity in severe obesity (visceral fat IL-6 secretion) | Plasma IL-6 approximately 50% greater in portal vein (draining visceral fat) than radial artery; portal IL-6 correlated with systemic CRP (r = 0.544) | cross-sectional | Fontana L, et al. Diabetes. 2007;56:1010-1013. |
What else moves this marker
They describe those study groups, not an individual, and an association is not a cause.
Diseases and conditions
| What | Effect on the marker | Comparison · population | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| ↑ Age-related chronic disease in older adults · elderly patients with comorbidities vs controls without disease | SMD +0.16 (95% CI 0.12 to 0.19) | older adults with disease vs disease-free controls · 8154 patients and 33967 controls | meta analysis · PMID 38495887 |
| ↑ Depression · peripheral blood IL-6 in depression vs matched healthy controls | SMD +0.61 (95% CI 0.39 to 0.82) | depression vs healthy controls · 5166 patients and 5083 controls, 107 studies | meta analysis · PMID 32113908 |
| ↑ Major depressive episode · unstimulated IL-6 in DSM major depression vs controls | +1.78 pg/mL (95% CI 1.23 to 2.33) | depressed vs non-depressed · 492 depressed / 400 non-depressed, 16 studies | meta analysis · PMID 20015486 |
| ↑ Takayasu arteritis, active disease · pooled mean IL-6 22.67 pg/mL in active TA vs 3.08 pg/mL in healthy controls | +21.52 pg/mL (95% CI -0.43 to 43.47) | active Takayasu arteritis vs healthy controls · Takayasu arteritis patients (mean age 24-40.6), 10 studies | meta analysis · PMID 38190729 |
Environmental and occupational exposures
| What | Effect on the marker | Comparison · population | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| ↑ Fixed night-shift work with maladaptation (police officers) · adjusted mean ln(IL-6) 0.8 in maladapted night-shift officers vs 0.5 in permanent day workers | ratio 1.35 | maladapted night-shift workers vs day workers · BCOPS study police officers (73 maladapted, 169 adapted night-shift; day workers) | cross sectional · PMID 33781135 |
| ↑ Sleep disturbance · self-reported sleep disturbance vs none | SMD +0.2 (95% CI 0.08 to 0.31) | sleep disturbance vs no sleep disturbance · Adults, 72 studies (n>50,000) | meta analysis · PMID 26140821 |
Sources
- Risk curve: Li 2017 (PMID 28866452): all-cause RR 1.49 (1.33-1.67) highest vs. lowest interleukin-6 levels. Scaled to US values (NHANES).
- Li et al. Circulating interleukin-6 levels and cardiovascular and all-cause mortality in the elderly population: A meta-analysis. Archives of gerontology and geriatrics. 2017;73:257-262.
Map Interleukin-6 (IL-6) against another biomarker.
Related markers: Alpha-1-Antichymotrypsin (AACT) · Alpha-1-Antitrypsin (AAT) · Antinuclear Antibodies (ANA) · CD4:CD8 T-Cell Ratio · CD8+ T-Cell Count · Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR) · Fibrinogen · Growth Differentiation Factor-15 (GDF-15)