Type 1 Diabetes: Omega-3s Improve Kidney Health
Kidney Health: Omega 3 Supplements Improve Conditions in Patients with Type 1 Diabetes
Increasing the intake of Omega 3 fatty acids may help reduce kidney damage associated with type 1 diabetes. This is suggested by researchers at the Institute of Metabolic Science in Cambridge (UK), who in a study published in Diabetes Care demonstrated that a high intake of these fatty acids reduces the excretion of albumin through urine, an indicator of good kidney function. However, the authors clarify that Omega-3s do not reduce the incidence of kidney damage.
An Autoimmune Disease
Type 1 diabetes, also known as juvenile diabetes, is different from type 2 diabetes. The latter typically appears later in life, when the body does not produce or properly use insulin, the hormone that controls blood sugar levels. Type 1 diabetes, instead, is associated with damage to the pancreatic cells that normally produce insulin. This phenomenon is likely linked to an abnormal immune reaction against the body's own cells – known as an autoimmune response. The type 1 form is more common among individuals of European descent. Approximately 2 million Europeans and North Americans are affected. Its incidence increases by about 3% per year. This is even more concerning considering that diabetes is associated with various complications, including an increased risk of kidney damage.
The Study
The research published in Diabetes Care involved analyzing data from 1,436 participants in the Diabetes Control and Complications Trial, a study funded by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (Bethesda, USA) that included individuals aged between 13 and 39 years. The team led by Amanda Adler measured albumin levels in the urine. Albumin is the most abundant protein in human serum. Patients with kidney problems can lose large amounts of albumin through their urine. Its measurement is done by monitoring the quantities in urine over 24 hours. The researchers found that subjects with type 1 diabetes who consumed the highest amounts of Omega-3 – both eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) – excreted 22.7 mg less albumin over 24 hours compared to those with lower Omega-3 intake.
Omega-3: enemies of diabetes, friends of the kidney
According to Adler and colleagues, these results show that EPA and DHA can improve kidney function in patients with type 1 diabetes who consume high amounts of Omega-3. This finding aligns with previous research by the University of Colorado at Denver and Health Sciences Center (Denver, USA), which demonstrated that high doses of Omega-3 in the form of fish oil can reduce the risk of type 1 diabetes by 55%. Moreover, these data add to evidence on the benefits of Omega-3 intake for kidneys in subjects with type 2 diabetes, as shown by scientists from the University of Hong Kong (China) and published in Diabetic Medicine.
Source
1. Lee CC, Sharp SJ, Wexler DJ, Adler AI, “Dietary intake of eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acid and diabetic nephropathy: cohort analysis of the diabetes control and complications trial”, Diabetes Care. 2010 Jul;33(7):1454-6. Epub 2010 Mar 31 2. Norris JM, Yin X, Lamb MM, Barriga K, Seifert J, Hoffman M, Orton HD, Barón AE, Clare-Salzler, M, Chase HP, Szabo NJ, Erlich H, Eisenbarth GS, Rewers M, “Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid intake and islet autoimmunity in children at increased risk for type 1 diabetes”, JAMA. 2007 Sep 26;298(12):1420-8 3. Wong CY, Yiu KH, Li SW, Lee S, Tam S, Lau CP, Tse HF, “Fish-oil supplement has neutral effects on vascular and metabolic function but improves renal function in patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus”, Diabet Med. 2010 Jan;27(1):54-60
