Benefits of Omega-3 Fatty Acids in Type 2 Diabetes

Benefits of Omega-3 Fatty Acids in Type 2 Diabetes 

As one gets older, type 2 diabetes is more likely if one is overweight or has high blood pressure (hypertension), elevated blood lipids, and a sedentary lifestyle.

What Is Type 2 Diabetes? 
Diabetes is a disease of carbohydrate metabolism whose hallmark is high blood sugar. Type 1 diabetes reflects lack of insulin, the hormone that controls blood sugar.  In type 2 diabetes, which is much more common than type 1, insulin is present, but it functions improperly. As a result, blood sugar levels rise. Common symptoms of diabetes are frequent urination, frequent thirst, and weight loss. However, warning signs may occur before the disease is diagnosed.

High blood sugar reflects insulin resistance. This means the hormone insulin is less effective in assisting the uptake of sugar and fatty acids into tissues. As a result both sugar and fatty acid levels in blood rise. To compensate, the pancreas makes more insulin in an effort to clear the blood sugar. The liver takes up the fatty acids and returns them to the blood as fat hitched to proteins. These are measured clinically as VLDL lipoproteins. In diabetes, VLDL levels are markedly increased, thereby increasing the likelihood of heart disease. As diabetes progresses, the pancreas loses its ability to produce insulin. This leads to deterioration in other tissues and the development of circulatory problems, hypertension, kidney disease, impaired regulation of blood clotting, retinopathy, and above all heart disease. Treatment with drugs, diet, weight loss, and exercise can retard and possibly halt this chain of events. 

1. Lifestyle intervention means weight loss, regular exercise, and healthful eating habits. Losing weight reduces the chance of developing diabetes, slows its progression, and improves glucose control. The more weight you lose, the better. Even modest weight loss  short of reaching your ideal weight  brings substantial improvement.

2. Regular exercise counteracts many of the detrimental effects of insulin resistance. It improves glucose control and blood lipid levels, increases blood flow and vascular function, boosts fitness, reduces risk of heart disease, and can ease weight loss. Caution: everyone’s health condition and risk differs, so if you have diabetes or heart disease, have your physician determine the appropriate level, type, and
frequency of exercise.

3. Diet modification is a frontline strategy for controlling diabetes. Traditionally, the diabetic diet emphasized sugar restriction. Modern dietary recommendations recognize that the total amount of carbohydrate is more important than the type of carbohydrate. The key is moderate carbohydrate intake from whole grains, legumes, fruits, and vegetables. These foods generally have the lowest glycemic index.

4. Foods high in saturated fats include dairy fats butter, most cheese, and whole milk most animal fats, hard margarines, shortening, and coconut and palm oils. Trans fatty acids also aid the development of heart disease. Trans fatty acids occur in the manufacture of solid fats such as margarine and shortening. Many commercial and restaurant prepared fried and baked foods have high proportions of saturated and trans fatty acids. Restricting the consumption of saturated and trans fats improves blood lipid levels and may slow the progression of diabetes.

5. Omega-3 fatty acids, found mainly in fat-rich fish such as salmon, rainbow trout, mackerel, and sardines confer health benefits not found in other foods. “Omega-3s” from fish are highly polyunsaturated fatty acids that lower triglycerides, reduce abnormal heart rhythms, reduce blood pressure by small but significant amounts, and improve blood clotting regulation. Omega-3s may also boost the effectiveness of statins, drugs widely prescribed to lower blood LDL cholesterol levels.

Thus, people with diabetes who eat rich fish on a regular basis can boost the benefits of weight loss in improving glucose control and blood pressure.  Eating fatty fish regularly is an important strategy to improve health in diabetes.