General Health
Fish oil good for people with insulin resistance
By Sue Mueller
May 21, 2008 - 10:32:51 AM

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WEDNESDAY May 21, 2008 (foodconsumer.org) -- Results from a trial indicate that consumption of an energy-restricted diet with long chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids help young overweight people with insulin resistance.

The small trial by Ramel A from Landspitali-University Hospital & Faculty of Food Science and Nutrition and colleagues in Iceland showed "fish oil intake was a significant predictor of fasting insulin and insulin resistance after 8 weeks”.

The study was meant to investigate the effects of seafood consumption on insulin resistance in young overweight individuals on a diet with energy restricted.  Early epidemiologic studies suggest long chain n-3 PUFA improve insulin resistance, according to the researchers.

In the 8-week trial, 324 participants aged 20 to 40 with a body mass index ranging from 27.5 to 32.5 kg/m2 from Iceland, Spain and Ireland were randomly given one of four diets with the same amounts of macronutrients, different amounts of long-chain n-3 PUFA, but all with energy 30 percent reduced.

One diet used by 80 participants contained 150 grams of cod three times per week, the second diet used by 84 participants contained150 grams of salmon three times per week, the third one used by 80 participants contained fish oil daily (docosahexaenoic /eicosapentaenoic acid capsules, no other seafood) and the control diet used no fish or fish oil.

The researchers found "Fish oil intake was a significant predictor of fasting insulin and insulin resistance after 8 weeks".

Diabetologia. 2008 May 20.
Beneficial effects of long-chain n-3 fatty acids included in an energy-restricted diet on insulin resistance in overweight and obese European young adults.
Ramel A, Martinéz A, Kiely M, Morais G, Bandarra NM, Thorsdottir I.
Unit for Nutrition Research, Landspitali-University Hospital & Faculty of Food Science and Nutrition, Eiriksgata 29, 101, Reykjavik, Iceland.