IL6 and metabolic disease: Although interleukin-6 (IL-6) is often associated with pro-inflammatory status in individuals with metabolic diseases in resting conditions (Nimmo et al., 2013), its transient increase during and after exercise is recognized as an acute response with metabolic and anti-inflammatory actions, such as inducing an increase in circulating concentrations of anti-inflammatory cytokines IL-4 and IL-10.