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As Editor and Reporter for Healthy-Oil-Planet.com, I've researched the health benefits of natural oils and tried to present you the most accurate and current information for enhancing your health with these products.
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Is Fish Oil Safe for Diabetes?
If you’re diabetic, you may be wondering if fish oil is safe for diabetes or if there are any side effects from using fish oil?
Recent research shows that fish oil may actually reduce your risk for diabetes, enhance how your body metabolizes glucose and even lower your risk for high blood pressure.
While fish oils provide an excellent source of the healthy fatty acids, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and ecoisapaentenoic acid (EPA), you may be concerned about fish oil affecting your blood sugar levels. Studies show that fish oil is safe for diabetics because they don’t have any impact on insulin sensitivity or glucose metabolism.
What is Diabetes?
The most common form of diabetes is Type 2 Diabetes, also known as adult-onset diabetes or non-insulin-dependent-diabetes (NIDD). This is a chronic condition that affects how your body metabolizes sugar (glucose).
When you have Type 2 diabetes, your body is either unaffected or resistant to insulin (a hormone that controls how your body cells absorb sugar); or your pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin to maintain normal blood sugar levels.
Fish oil has been shown to have many health benefits; they help reduce inflammation, lessen joint pain and even have a positive effect on your mood. If you’re diabetic, you may want to enjoy these health benefits, but could have concerns if fish oil is safe for diabetes and blood sugar maintenance.
The following studies show how fish oil can actually have many health benefits for diabetics:
Fish Oils may Reduce Your Risk for Diabetes
Boston, Massachusetts – Researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health discovered that fish oil can help increase blood levels of a hormone called adiponectin; this is an important chemical that helps regulate how your body metabolizes glucose.
Scientists looked at a number of studies where 682 people took fish oil and another 641 patients were given placebos. They discovered that the people taking fish oil experienced higher adipopectin levels, quoting:
“Although higher levels of adiponectin in the bloodstream have been linked to lower risk of diabetes and coronary heart disease, whether fish oil influences glucose metabolism and development of type 2 diabetes remains unclear….However, results from our study suggest that higher intake of fish oil may moderately increase blood level of adiponectin, and these results support potential benefits of fish oil consumption on glucose control and fat cell metabolism.”
Essential Fatty Acids Reduce Triglyceride Levels in Diabetes
Naples, Italy – Researchers from the Institute of Internal Medicine and Metabolic Diseases in Naples, Italy studied the effects of fish oil on diabetes and found some positive changes in insulin resistance.
Sixteen (16) patients with Non-Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitis were randomly assigned to take 2.7 grams a day of EPA and DHA for 2 months. Afterwards, the patients reduced their daily dosage to 1.7 grams a day for an additional 4 more months. Their diet and hypoglycemic drugs remained unchanged throughout the study.
Researchers found that the omega 3 fatty acids reduced triglyceride levels with no negative effects on blood glucose control.
Scientists at the Department of Diabetes in Paris found similar results when giving Type 2 diabetic patients 6 grams per day of fish oil for 2 months. They found the fish oil is safe for diabetes and can help lower triglyceride levels with no negative effects on blood sugar or insulin-sensitivity.
EPA and DHA Lower High Blood Pressure in Diabetes
Norway – Researchers at the Department of Internal Medicine at Tromsø University Hospital discover EPA and DHA reduced high blood pressure without affecting insulin sensitivity and blood glucose metabolism.
Seventy-eight (78) patients with untreated high blood pressure were randomly assigned to receive either 4 grams a day of EPA and DHA or corn oil for 16 weeks.
Researchers measured insulin sensitivity, blood glucose levels, lipid levels and blood pressure. They found there was no significant changes in blood glucose or insulin sensitivity for both groups of patients.
However, the people taking the EPA and DHA showed lower blood pressures measurements and decreased triglyceride levels. The group taking corn oil saw didn’t experience any changes in their blood pressure or triglyceride levels..
Editor’s Comments: So is Fish Oil Safe for Diabetes?
The available research appears to indicate that fish oil is safe for diabetes and they can provide the following health benefits for diabetics:
- may increase the hormone levels that enhance glucose metabolism.
- can help lower high triglyceride levels and reduce the risk for hypertension.
- fish oil doesn’t appear to have any negative effect on insulin sensitivity or blood glucose levels.
Adding fresh fatty fish to your diet is a great way to those healthy omega 3 fatty acids. However, if you’re concerned about exposure to mercury and other contaminants that can be found from eating fresh fish, you could use an omega 3 fish oil supplement.
I recommended using an omega 3 fish oil that’s been tested to ensure it’ll provide you with what’s printed on the ingredient label, as well as being analyzed to check for the lowest possible level of contaminants and mercury. For example, you could use fish oils that have been tested by the International Fish Oil Standards and you can also look at my Fish Oil Reviews for more options.
There are currently no recommended dosages if using fish oil for diabetes. Suggested fish oil dosages from leading health authorities, such as the American Heart Association, focus more on the health benefits for people with heart disease or high triglyceride levels. If you have these health conditions you may want to review the above fish oil dosages for more information.
Please consult with your doctor before making any changes to your diet and ensure you’re both working together to manage your diabetes safely and effectively.
Is Fish Oil Safe for Diabetes Research References:
Effect of fish oil on circulating adiponectin: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism. 2013 Jun;98(6):2451-9. doi: 10.1210/jc.2012-3899. Epub 2013 May 23.
A controlled study on the effects of n-3 fatty acids on lipid and glucose metabolism in non-insulin-dependent diabetic patients. Annuzzi G, Rivellese A, Capaldo B, Di Marino L, Iovine C, Marotta G, Riccardi G. Institute of Internal Medicine and Metabolic Diseases, Federico II University, Naples, Italy. Atherosclerosis. 1991 Mar;87(1):65-73.
Omega-3 fatty acids in diabetes mellitus. Gift from the sea? Diabetes. 1989 May;38(5):539-43.
Moderate intake of n-3 fatty acids for 2 months has no detrimental effect on glucose metabolism and could ameliorate the lipid profile in type 2 diabetic men. Results of a controlled study. Luo J, Rizkalla SW, Vidal H, Oppert JM, Colas C, Boussairi A, Guerre-Millo M, Chapuis AS, Chevalier A, Durand G, Slama G. Department of Diabetes, INSERM U341, Hôtel-Dieu, Paris, France. Diabetes Care. 1998 May;21(5):717-24
Long-term effects of fish oil on insulin resistance and plasma lipoproteins in NIDDM patients with hypertriglyceridemia. Rivellese AA, Maffettone A, Iovine C, Di Marino L, Annuzzi G, Mancini M, Riccardi G. IMMD, Federico II University, Naples, Italy. Diabetes Care. 1996 Nov;19(11):1207-13
Effects of fish oil supplementation on glucose and lipid metabolism in NIDDM. Borkman M, Chisholm DJ, Furler SM, Storlien LH, Kraegen EW, Simons LA, Chesterman CN. Garvan Institute of Medical Research St. Vincent’s Hospital, Sydney New South Wales, Australia. Diabetes. 1989 Oct;38(10):1314-9.
A comparison of the effects of n-3 fatty acids from linseed oil and fish oil in well-controlled type II diabetes. McManus RM, Jumpson J, Finegood DT, Clandinin MT, Ryan EA. Department of Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada. Diabetes Care. 1996 May;19(5):463-7.
Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) for type 2 diabetes mellitus. Cochrane Database of Systemic Reviews. 2008 Jan 23;(1):CD003205.