Type 2 Diabetes And Omega 3

More than nine out of ten diabetics have type 2 diabetes. In this form of diabetes, the body gradually fails to respond to insulin, which can cause blood sugar levels to rise to dangerous levels.

Reuters Health published a report stating that omega 3 fatty acids from fish oil could improve insulin function in overweight people who are vulnerable to type 2 diabetes. This also means that omega 3 could help to prevent or at least lower the risk of type 2 diabetes.

The study showed that omega 3 supplements (DHA) taken over a period of 3 months lead to a significant improvement in insulin sensitivity.

These findings are also supported by the fact that Greenland Eskimos rarely suffer from diabetes and heart disease. Greenland Eskimos are overweight and should be diabetic and have heart disease, but they do not. Why? Scientists think it's because of their diet, which is very rich in omega 3 fatty acids due to their high consumption of fish.

In another study, 12 overweight men and women who suffered from insulin resistance (a pre-diabetic condition) were asked to consume 1800 mg of DHA a day for 12 weeks.

At the end of the study, 70% of the participants showed an improvement in insulin-related function and 50% showed a significant improvement.

However, you should consider that the study was performed on a relatively small number of people and the results are preliminary. If you suffer from type 2 diabetes you should by no means replace your medication with fish oil supplements. If you want to use omega 3 supplements additionally to your treatment, please discuss this with your physician.

Still, it would be a good idea to assure that your diet contains sufficient amounts of omega 3's. Examples for foods that are rich in omega 3 fatty acids are cold water fish, such as herring, salmon and mackerel; flaxseed oil, walnuts and others. Also, the AHA recommends 2-3 servings of fish per week to prevent cardiovascular diseases.

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