Congenital hyperinsulinism: help from Omega-3

Fish oil has beneficial effects in children affected by congenital hyperinsulinism, a childhood disease characterized by excessive insulin secretion. Supplements containing Omega-3, combined with standard medical treatment, seem to improve glucose profile and reduce glycemic variability characteristic of the condition.

This emerges from a study conducted by researchers at the University of Manchester (UK) and published in the journal Frontiers in Endocrinology.

Congenital hyperinsulinism: a genetic disease

Congenital hyperinsulinism is a rare disease and the most common cause of hypoglycemia in the first year of life. It affects about one child in 50,000 in England and one in 2,500 in Finland and Saudi Arabia. The disease is characterized by altered insulin release by pancreatic beta cells that become overactive, causing low and continuously fluctuating blood glucose levels. This condition can interfere with brain development and cause disabilities, brain damage, and seizures. Purified fish oil containing the polyunsaturated fatty acids EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) has been successfully used to prevent cardiac arrhythmias after acute myocardial injury. Since pancreatic cells are electrically active, just like heart cells, researchers hypothesized that Omega-3 could also act on them by slowing insulin release.

Fish oil reduces glycemic fluctuations

The trial involved 13 children aged between one and 11 years, affected by hyperinsulinism and with satisfactory glycemic stability. The children received daily 3 ml of fish oil containing 459 mg EPA and 310 mg DHA for 3 weeks. A continuous subcutaneous glucose monitoring system reported glucose levels at continuous intervals. Researchers observed that although the treatment did not significantly affect blood glucose levels, it made glucose much more stable, eliminating the typical fluctuations of the disease.

The action of EPA and DHA

According to the researchers, Omega-3 can reduce the electrical activity of pancreatic cells. EPA and DHA might block specific sodium and potassium channels, reducing insulin release. Omega-3 could be considered an additional therapeutic option to strengthen glycemic control in patients treated with conventional therapies. In any case, further and more comprehensive studies are needed to thoroughly investigate the value of EPA and DHA treatment as an adjunct therapy for congenital hyperinsulinism.

Source: Mars Skae, Hima Bindu Avatapalle, Indraneel Banerjee, Lindsey Rigby, Andy Vail, Peter Foster, Christiana Charalambous, Louise Bowden, Raja Padidela, Leena Patel, Sarah Ehtisham, Karen E. Cosgrove, Mark J. Dunne and Peter E. Clayton. “Reduced glycemic variability in diazoxide-responsive children with congenital hyperinsulinism using supplemental omega-3-polyunsaturated fatty acids; a pilot trial with MaxEPA.” Front. Endocrinol., 12 March 2014 | doi: 10.3389/fendo.2014.00031