The impact of omega-3 fatty acid supplementation on glycemic control in patients with gestational diabetes: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled studies

Abstract

Background: Omega-3 fatty acid supplementation shows some treatment efficacy for gestational diabetes. This systematic review and meta-analysis is conducted to investigate the efficacy of omega-3 fatty acid supplementation for glycemic control in patients with gestational diabetes.

Methods: The databases including PubMed, Embase, Web of science, EBSCO, and Cochrane Library databases are systematically searched for collecting the randomized controlled trials (RCTs) regarding the efficacy of omega-3 fatty acid versus placebo for gestational diabetes.

Results: This meta-analysis has included seven RCTs. Compared with placebo group in patients with gestational diabetes, omega-3 fatty acids supplementation results in remarkably reduced fasting plasma glucose (FPG) (standard mean difference (std. MD) = −0.56; 95% confidence interval (CI) = −0.87 to −0.24; p = .0005), homeostatic model of assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) (std. MD = −0.52; 95% CI = −0.83 to −0.21; p = .001), but has no statistical impact on macrosomia (risk ratio (RR) = 0.48; 95% CI = 0.22–1.02; p = .06), newborns’ hyperbilirubinemia (RR = 0.46; 95% CI = 0.19–1.10; p = .08), nitric oxide (NO) (std. MD = 0.17; 95% CI = −0.64–0.98; p = .68), preterm delivery (RR = 1.75; 95% CI = 0.08–3.80; p=.16) and preeclampsia (RR =0.74; 95% CI = 0.26–2.16; p = .59). However, notably decreased high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) is revealed after omega-3 fatty acids supplementation (std. MD = −1.14; 95% CI = −2.0 to −0.29; p = .009).

Conclusions: Omega-3 fatty acids supplementation can provide substantially beneficial effects on glycemic control and inflammatory response for gestational diabetes.

Keywords:

• Gestational diabetes
• glycemic control
• meta-analysis
• omega-3 fatty acid
• randomized controlled trials

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) disclose receipt of the following funds for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 81601304).