6 chronic illnesses with surprising links to inflammation
The causes and consequences of long-term inflammation may surprise you.
Jan, 2026
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Inflammation. It’s a buzzword used constantly in the news and on social media. The label, “anti-inflammatory,” can be found on beauty products and supplements. There’s even an anti-inflammatory diet. So, what exactly is inflammation? And is it always a harbinger of bad health?
Here’s what to know about the inflammation process and how it may influence your risk of six serious conditions.
Written byRose Hayes, MA, RN.
Medically reviewed byMegan Burke, MD.
Sources: Walker KA + 13
- Walker KA, Ficek BN, Westbrook R. Understanding the Role of Systemic Inflammation in Alzheimer's Disease. ACS Chem Neurosci. 2019 Aug 21;10(8):3340-3342.
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- Pahwa R, Goyal A, Jialal I. Chronic Inflammation. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2024 Jan-.
- Lee CH, Giuliani F. The Role of Inflammation in Depression and Fatigue. Front Immunol. 2019 Jul 19;10:1696.
- Milaneschi, Y., Kappelmann, N., Ye, Z. et al. Association of inflammation with depression and anxiety: evidence for symptom-specificity and potential causality from UK Biobank and NESDA cohorts. Mol Psychiatry 26, 7393–7402 (2021).
- NIH: National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Diseases. Rheumatoid Arthritis. Reviewed November 2022.
- Arthritis Foundation. Causes of Inflammatory Joint Pain. Accessed September 26, 2024.
- Harris E. Brain Inflammation May Underlie Neuropsychiatric Symptoms of Dementia. JAMA. 2024 Jan 16;331(3):190.
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- National Cancer Institute. Chronic Inflammation. April 29, 2015.
- Malhotra R. Understanding migraine: Potential role of neurogenic inflammation. Ann Indian Acad Neurol. 2016 Apr-Jun;19(2):175-82.
- American Heart Association. Inflammation and Heart Disease. January 11, 2024.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. NCHS: Leading Causes of Death. Reviewed May 2, 2024.
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