Diabetes
In a survey summarizing the diabetes related epidemiologic studies, it is noted that polyunsaturated fatty acids, and possibly the long-chain Omega-3 acids in particular, may be beneficial in the prevention of diabetes (Hu et al. 2001).
Based on bioassays, the fatty acid composition of diet may have significant impact on the glucose metabolism (Storlien et al. 1987, Storlien et al. 1991, Chicco et al. 1996, Luo et al. 1996, Nobukata et al. 2000). Evidence obtained experimentally is so far rather scarce and insufficient with regard to healthy people; nevertheless, it has been possible to increase insulin sensitivity in diabetics, using Omega-3 fatty acids (Popp-Snijders et al. 1987) as well as the glucose tolerance in patients with resistance symptoms (Fasching et al. 1991).
References
Anderson JW. 1999. Nutritional management of diabetes mellitus. In: Modern Nutrition in Health and Disease. eds. Shils ME, Olson JA, Shike M and Ross AC, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Philadelphia, PA, pp. 1365–1394.Chicco A, D’Alessandro ME, Karabatas L, Gutman R, Lombardo YB. 1996. Effect of moderate levels of dietary fish oil on insulin secretion and sensitivity, and pancreas insulin content in normal rats. Ann Nutr Metab 40:61–70.
Fasching P, Ratheiser K, Waldhäusl W, Rohac M, Osterrode W, Nowotny P, Vierhapper H. 1991. Metabolic effects of fish-oil supplementation in patients with impaired glucose tolerance. Diabetes 40:583–589.
Goh Y, Jumpsen J, Ryan E, Clandinin M: Effect of omega 3 fatty acid on plasma lipids, cholesterol and lipoprotein fatty acid content in NIDDM patents. Diabetologia 40: 45-52, 1997.(4)
Hu FB, van Dam RM, Liu S. 2001. Diet and risk of type II diabetes: The role of types of fat and carbohydrate. Diabetologia 44:805–817.
Luo J, Rizkalla SW, Boillot J, Alamowitch C, Chaib H, Bruzzo F, Desplanque N, Dalix A-M, Durand G, Slama G. 1996. Dietary (n-3) polyunsaturated fatty acids improve adipocyte insulin action and glucose metabolism in insulin-resistant rats: Relation to membrane fatty acids. J Nutr 126:1951–1958.
Nobukata H, Ishikawa T, Obata M, Shibutani Y. 2000. Long-term administration of highly purified eicosapentaenoic acid ethyl ester prevents diabetes and abnormalities of blood coagulation in male WBN/Kob rats. Metabolism 49:912–919.
Prasad K. 2000. Oxidative stress as a mechanism of diabetes in diabetic BB prone rats: Effects of secoisolariciresinol diglucoside (SDG). Mol Cell Biochem 209: 89–96.
Prasad K. 2001. Secoisolariciresinol diglucoside from flaxseed delays the development of type 2 diabetes in Zucker rat. J Lab Clin Med 138: 32–39.
Prasad K, Mantha SV, Muir AD, Westcott ND. 2000. Protective effect of secoisolariciresinol diglucoside against streptozototin-induced diabetes and its mechanism.. Mol Cell Biochem 206: 141–150. P
opp-Snijders C, Schouten JA, Heine RJ, van der Meer J, van der Veen EA. 1987. Dietary supplementation of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids improves insulin sensitivity in non-insulin-dependent diabetes. Diabetes Res 4:141–147.
Storlien LH, Kraegen EW, Chisholm DJ, Ford GL, Bruce DG, Pascoe WS. 1987. Fish oil prevents insulin resistance induced by high-fat feeding. Science 237:885–888.
Storlien LH, Jenkins AB, Chisholm DJ, Pascoe WS, Khouri S, Kraegen EW. 1991. Influence of dietary fat composition on development of insulin resistance in rats. Relationship to muscle triglyceride and ω-3 fatty acids in muscle phospholipid. Diabetes 40:280–289.
