The regular use of fish oil supplements and high circulating levels of Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), especially docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), have been found to be associated with a lower risk for vascular complications in patients with Type 2 diabetes.
Fish oils, rich in Omega-3 PUFAs, are beneficial supplements for the vascular health of the general population, but studies of this in patients with Type 2 diabetes are scarce, despite their higher risk of developing vascular disease. This new study investigated the association between fish oil supplementation and the risks for vascular complications in 20,338 patients with Type 2 diabetes, supplemented with data from the UK Biobank, as well as 4874 participants with Type 2 diabetes possessing plasma PUFA data. The study looked for outcomes including diabetic macrovascular complications (coronary heart disease, heart failure, peripheral artery disease, and stroke) and microvascular complications (diabetic kidney disease, diabetic retinopathy, and diabetic neuropathy).
The research found that – over a median follow-up of 13.2 years – 5,396 patients developed macrovascular and 4,868 developed microvascular complications. The use of fish oil supplementation vs no use was associated with a 10% lower risk for composite macrovascular and microvascular complications, respectively, and also with individual complications except for heart failure or stroke.
The authors concluded “In individuals with Type 2 diabetes, habitual use of fish oil and higher plasma Omega-3 PUFA levels, especially DHA, were associated with lower risks of both macrovascular and microvascular complications.”
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