Omega-3 supplementation and diabetes: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract

This study aimed to review the literature on studies that evaluated the effects of omega-3 supplementation on parameters of diabetes in humans. An online search was conducted in the following databases: Pubmed, LILACS, Scielo, Scopus, and Web of Science. It included experimental studies that investigated the effects of omega-3 supplementation for diabetes treatment or prevention and its relationship with fasting blood glucose, insulin resistance, and glycated hemoglobin. Observational, non-human studies and non-randomized clinical trials were excluded. The Cochrane scale assessed the quality of the studies. A meta-analysis was carried out to evaluate the effect of omega-3 on fasting blood glucose, insulin resistance, and glycated hemoglobin. Thirty studies were included in the review. Almost 70% (n = 20) demonstrated at least one significant effect of the omega-3 supplementation related to diabetes. In the meta-analysis, there was a significant effect on the reduction of fasting blood glucose [SMD: −0.48; CI95%: −0.76, −0.19; p = 0.01; I2 = 88%] and insulin resistance [SMD: −0.61; CI95%: −0.98, −0.24; p = 0.01; I2 = 90%]. For glycated hemoglobin, there was no significant effect in the meta-analysis. This systematic review with meta-analysis demonstrated that supplementation with omega-3 has protective effects on diabetes parameters.

Keywords:

• Diabetes
• dm2
• fasting blood glucose
• glycated hemoglobin
• insulin resistance

Acknowledgments

All authors contributed to data interpretation and reviewed, edited and approved the final manuscript.

Declaration of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.