Fotolia_9141697_XS (2)A study that appeared in the journal Osteoarthritis Cartilage (Vol. 20, Issue 5, Pages 382-387) measured inflammation in the joints of arthritis patients averaging 60 years of age by measuring synovial thickening and cartilage damage on contrast-enhanced MRI. The researchers found that the amount of inflammation was proportional to the amount of omega 6 and omega 3 fatty acids circulating in the blood. They found that the amount of inflammation was inversely proportional levels of circulating omega-3 fatty acids and directly proportional to  omega-6 fatty acid levels. In other words, more omega-3 fatty acid and less omega-6 fatty acid equals less inflammation.