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Under a shady porch roof, an older couple warmly hug two younger adults, the woman laughing with her eyes closed.“Exercise Lowers Inflammation as You Age”Evidence: Moderate
Research RadarAging

Does Exercise Reduce Inflammation in Older Adults? A New Umbrella Review Finds a Small Effect

Inflammation tends to creep up with age. Dozens of trials say exercise nudges it back down, and a 2026 review of 21 reviews explains why that answer comes with an asterisk.

Latest research, graded

A smiling older woman with curly grey hair holds a big bunch of freshly pulled radishes in a sunny garden.“Inflammation Causes Migraine”Evidence: EmergingExplainerConditions

Can Inflammation Cause Migraine? What Researchers Mean by Neurogenic Inflammation

Can inflammation cause migraine? Scientists think a nerve-driven kind of inflammation is part of every attack. Here is what the studies show, and what food and exercise trials found.

Older adults sitting on chairs in a bright hall raise both arms overhead during a group exercise class.“Long COVID Is Driven by Lingering Inflammation”Evidence: EmergingExplainerConditions

Does Long COVID Cause Inflammation? What Blood Studies Found Months Later

Does long COVID cause inflammation in the body? Blood tests from thousands of people show signs of inflammation that hang on for months. Whether that inflammation drives the symptoms is a harder question.

A laughing woman in a dark red swimsuit wades waist-deep in a green, tree-lined river, arms out on the water.“Massage Reduces Inflammation in the Body”Evidence: EmergingExplainerMovement

Does Massage Reduce Inflammation? What Studies Measured After a Session

Does massage reduce inflammation in the body, or does it just feel good? Small trials found real changes in sore muscle and in blood, but nothing yet on the long-term kind.

An older couple, the man in a green turban, walk side by side along a path covered in autumn leaves.“Running Causes Inflammation in the Body”Evidence: ModerateMyth CheckMovement

Does Running Cause Inflammation? The Short Spike and the Long-Term Drop

Does running cause inflammation in the body? For a few hours or days after a hard run, yes. Over months and years of regular running, the picture flips.

A couple chat and laugh by a sunny kitchen window, each holding a bowl of fruit, with sliced grapefruit on the counter.“Soy Causes Inflammation”Evidence: Not supportedMyth CheckFood

Does Soy Cause Inflammation? What Dozens of Trials Found on CRP

Soy shows up on a lot of lists of foods to avoid. When researchers pooled the trials, inflammation markers did not go up, and CRP dipped a little.

A smiling nurse in white scrubs talks with an older bald man in glasses and a pale blue shirt in a bright clinic hallway.“Metformin Is Anti-inflammatory”Evidence: EmergingExplainerMedicines

Is Metformin Anti-Inflammatory? What Trials Measured Beyond Blood Sugar

Is metformin anti-inflammatory? In trials of people with diabetes, it lowered one inflammation marker a little. Other markers barely moved, and in people without diabetes the signal mostly fades.

  1. ExplainerIs Colchicine Anti-Inflammatory? How a Gout Drug Ended Up in Heart TrialsEvidence: Strong
  2. ExplainerDo Statins Reduce Inflammation? Why They Lower CRP, Not Just CholesterolEvidence: Strong
  3. ExplainerIs High Cholesterol Inflammatory? How LDL and Inflammation Team Up in Your ArteriesEvidence: Moderate
  4. Research RadarIs Asthma an Inflammatory Disease? A New Review Looks at Breathing Exercises as an Add-OnEvidence: Moderate
  5. ExplainerIs Aspirin Anti-Inflammatory? Why the Dose Changes EverythingEvidence: Moderate
  6. ExplainerDoes Ibuprofen Reduce Inflammation? Yes, Short Term. Here's Why That Isn't the Whole StoryEvidence: Moderate
  7. ExplainerIs Ashwagandha Anti-Inflammatory? What Human Trials Measured, and the Safety CaveatsEvidence: Emerging
  8. Myth CheckIs Bread an Inflammatory Food? What Trials Show for White, Whole Grain and SourdoughEvidence: Not supported
  9. ExplainerIs Butter Inflammatory? What Fat-Swap Trials Found in the BloodEvidence: Emerging
  10. ExplainerIs CBD Anti-Inflammatory? Strong in Lab Dishes, Weak in PeopleEvidence: Not supported
  11. ExplainerIs Eczema an Inflammatory Disease? What Happens Under the Skin, and Beyond ItEvidence: Moderate
  12. ExplainerIs Fasting Anti-Inflammatory? What Intermittent Fasting Trials Found on CRPEvidence: Emerging

Myth checks

Myth CheckDoes Running Cause Inflammation? The Short Spike and the Long-Term DropEvidence: ModerateMyth CheckSoy causes inflammationEvidence: Not supportedMyth CheckBread is an inflammatory foodEvidence: Not supportedMyth CheckHoney is gentler on inflammation than sugarEvidence: Not supportedMyth CheckRed meat is inflammatoryEvidence: EmergingMyth CheckBeans are inflammatoryEvidence: Not supportedMyth CheckRice is inflammatoryEvidence: Not supportedMyth CheckTomatoes are inflammatoryEvidence: Not supportedMyth CheckGoing gluten-free reduces inflammationEvidence: EmergingMyth CheckCoffee is inflammatoryEvidence: Not supportedMyth CheckSeed oils are inflammatoryEvidence: Not supportedMyth CheckCold plunges flush out inflammationEvidence: Not supported

See every claim we've graded in the Evidence Scorecard

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