FISH OIL CONSUMPTION HELPS PREVENT TYPE 2 DIABETES IN PEOPLE WITH EXISTING METABOLIC DISORDERS

New meta-analysis by Chongqing Medical University revealed   fish   oil   supplementation  can  increase  insulin sensitivity   and   reduce   the   risk   of   diabetes   among metabolic disorder sufferers, according to a report in NutraIngredients.com.  Reviewing a total of 17 studies, involving 672 participants above the age of 18, the researchers found in their subgroup analysis that fish oil supplementation could heighten insulin sensitivity in those experiencing at least one symptom of a metabolic disorder.  However, the same benefits were not observed in healthy people or those who already had type 2 diabetes.  Those who had metabolic disorders but not type 2 diabetes experienced up to a 47% decrease in insulin resistance when supplemented with fish oil in the short term.  
Because serum omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid levels require minimum of four weeks to reach equilibrium, the review suggested that ideal intervention period should be less than 12 weeks but at least more than  four weeks.  This led the analysis to state that fish oil supplementation could be a “significant intervention as secondary prevention” for metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes.  However, it also added that duration, not dosage, was crucial for such intervention to be effective, as the reviewed studies found that the supplementation dosage had no impact on insulin sensitivity.  The analysis concluded that the results had strong implications for the prevention of  type 2 diabetes.