Fish Oil Pills can Lower Risk of Diabetes Type-2

According to a new study, fish oil supplements can lower the risk of diabetes type-2 by raising the levels of the hormone adiponectin in the bloodstream.

The modest increase in levels of this hormone has also been linked to a lower risk of heart diseases in people using these fish supplements or omega 3 fatty acid capsules. Adiponectin is associated with glucose metabolism and controlling inflammation in the body.

"While prior animal studies found fish oil increased circulating adiponectin, whether similar effects apply in humans is not established. By reviewing evidence from existing randomized clinical trials, we found that fish oil supplementation caused modest increases in adiponectin in the blood of humans," said Jason Wu, PhD, of the Harvard School of Public Health and lead author of the study.

For the study, researchers pooled in data from previous research on the subject. In total, 14 randomized clinical trials were included in the study. Some 682 people in these trials were given fish while another 642 people were given placebo. Study results showed that the level of adiponectin in people on fish oil pills was increased by 0.37 ug/mL.

Also, the effects of fish oil on health varied across the studies, showing that the pills may have greater effect on some populations than in others.

"Although higher levels of adiponectin in the bloodstream have been linked to lower risk of diabetes and coronary heart disease, whether fish oil influences glucose metabolism and development of type 2 diabetes remains unclear," said Wu in a news release. "However, results from our study suggest that higher intake of fish oil may moderately increase blood level of adiponectin, and these results support potential benefits of fish oil consumption on glucose control and fat cell metabolism."

The study is published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (JCEM).

Fish oil supplements are considered good for the heart and the brain. Surveys have shown that more than 30 percent of people living in the U.S. have used these supplements for various health reasons. A recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association had said that the health benefits of these pills may not be as effective as considered.