Nutrition and inflammatory load.

Chronic inflammation has been suggested to play an important role in metabolic diseases, such as atherothrombosis and type 2 diabetes. A lot of research has focused on the immunomodulatory effects of several nutrients, such as fatty acids, antioxidants, carbohydrates, specific amino acids, micronutrients, and alcohol, which play a crucial role in the maintenance of an "optimal" immune response. In addition, specific dietary patterns, such as the Mediterranean diet, are evolving as protective against cardiovascular disease, because of their anti-inflammatory properties. In this article, the existing data concerning the nutrients' pro- and anti-inflammatory properties are presented, as well as dietary patterns that could protect from chronic inflammation and its metabolic and atherothrombotic complications.