Omega-3 fatty acids helps in fight against diabetes

Fri, 03 Sep 2010
A new study has found that omega-3 fatty acids, better known as fish oil, may help to protect against chronic inflammation and insulin resistance . The research, by scientists at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, and published in the journal Cell, revealed that eating fish could be a means of treating problems such as inflammation in obesity and in conditions like diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer through taking dietary supplements .

The research team were able to identify a key receptor on macrophages that are found in great numbers in obese body fat . With obesity and diabetes being so closely correlated, the researchers believe that omega-3 fatty acids activate this macrophage receptor, which results in anti-inflammatory effects and improves insulin sensitivity.

Obese fat tissue can contain a large amount of these macrophages producing lots of cytokines, which can cause inflammation and rising insulin resistance. Team member Jerrold Olefsky said "The omega-3 fatty acids switch on the receptor, killing the inflammatory response."

We still don’t know how much fish oil constitutes a safe and effective dose, so diabetics have to be careful, especially as too high a dose could increase the risk of bleeding and strokes in some people.

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