Fish Oil Lowers Triglycerides W/ Little or No Glycemic Effect in Diabetics – (11-02-00)

Fish Oil Lowers Triglycerides W/ Little or No Glycemic Effect in Diabetics

Essential fatty acids have such tremendous health benefits for many chronic diseases, with no appreciable side effects. And considering that our Western diet is severely deficient in Omega-3 acids and very high in Omega-6 acids, we are not receiving these benefits from our diet. I strongly recommend all patients to maintain a daily regimen of some form of essential fatty acids.

Diabetes Care 2000;23:1407-1415 The results of a meta-analysis of 18 trials conducted over a 10-year period show that fish oil supplementation for patients with type 2 diabetes lowers triglycerides but has no statistically significant effect on glycemic control. “This study disproves the long-held belief that fish oil supplementation adversely affects glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes,” Dr. Victor M. Montori told Reuters Health. While the pooled data “was not able to elucidate the ideal dose of fish oil needed to achieve large reductions in triglycerides,” Dr. Montori said, it suggests that “fish oil may be safe to add to the armamentarium of triglyceride-lowering medication” for people with diabetes.