interesting notes
Fish Oil Helps Prevent Diabetes
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Three months of daily supplementation with
docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) produced a "clinically
significant" improvement in insulin sensitivity in
overweight study participants, according to Dr. Yvonne
Denkins, a nutrition researcher at the Pennington
Biomedical Research Institute.
More than 9 out of 10 diabetics have the type 2 form
of the disease, where the body’s gradual failure to
respond to insulin can cause blood sugar levels to
rise to dangerous levels.
Previous population studies have suggested that fish
oil might help protect against diabetes. "There were
epidemiological studies on the Greenland Eskimos, a
population of people that eat mainly whale blubber.
These are people that are overweight, that should be
diabetic and have heart disease, but they do not. The
scientists that studied them thought it was probably
because of what they eat, and they found that it was
the omega-3s."
In the study, researchers had 12 overweight men and
women, aged 40 to 70, consume 1.8 grams of DHA at
breakfast for 12 weeks. While none of the study
participants had full-blown diabetes, they all
suffered from insulin resistance — a pre-diabetic
condition in which the body fails to efficiently
respond to insulin.
Using blood tests taken at the start and end of the
study, the researchers assessed changes in each
person’s insulin resistance.
They saw a change in insulin sensitivity after 12
weeks of DHA supplementation. A full 70% of the study
participants showed an improvement in insulin-related
function, and in 50% it was a clinically significant
change.
Annual Experimental Biology 2002 Conference New
Orleans, LA April 21, 2002
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DR. MERCOLA’S COMMENT: E-mail to a friend
This study only used DHA. I do not advocate use of
isolated fish oils. I believe this could be
problematic, especially at higher doses. EPA and DHA
should ideally always be taken in a balanced dose.
The dose of DHA used in this study was 1.2 grams,
since most capsules have 180 mg of EPA and 120 mg of
DHA, so that would be 15 regular fish oil capsules a
day.
I do believe the dosing here is correct. I am more
fond of a specific weight formula of one 180 /120 mg
EPA/DHA capsule for every ten pounds of body weight.
So, for the average 150 pound person, 15 capsules a
day is appropriate.
However, many diabetics are very heavy. So a 280 pound
person would require 28 pills a day. It will also take
some time for the fish oil to work. It is reasonable
to expect a 3 month lag time to response.
Many people seem to have problems digesting fish oil
capsules, as they burp them up or get nauseous. This
is usually related to impaired gallbladder function. I
have found many patients benefit by using a digestive
enzyme that has lipase. If one has insurance coverage,
there are prescription based enzymes that are
available for a simple CO-pay My current favorite is
Ultrase MT-20.
The EPA/DHA probably works by improving sensitivity of
insulin receptors. Not only will this help for
diabetes, but it will also help control your weight.
Additionally, of course, there are a variety of other
major benefits for omega-3 oils. It seems they are
just as important as restricting sugar and grains.