Skip to main content
. 2022 Apr 21;14(9):1723. doi: 10.3390/nu14091723

Table 1.

Tabulated summary of studies demonstrating the effects of Omega-3 fatty acids (from different sources) on gut microbiota, inflammation, and insulin resistance in animals/humans with type-2 diabetes.

Human/Animal Models Intervention/Treatment Outcome References
Fish Oil Capsule (EPA & DHA)
Offspring of T2DM patients with endothelial dysfunction (n = 50) Dose: 2 g/d Omega-3 PUFA (EPA + DHA); Fish Oil supplement;
Duration: 12 weeks
  • −

    Improved endothelial function and reduced proinflammatory markers.

 [37]
T2DM patients without prior CVD (n = 97) Dose: 4 g/d Fish Oil supplement
Duration: 12 weeks
  • −

    Neutral effect on vascular and metabolic functions.

  • −

    Improved renal functions.

 [38]
Pregnant Women with Type-2 diabetes (n = 88) and healthy women (n = 85) Dose: 600 mg DHA; Fish Oil supplement Duration: Daily; from early pregnancy till delivery
  • −

    Ameliorates red cell membrane anomalies in pregnant women with Type 2 diabetes and neonates

 [39]
Patients, who are hypertensive and/or Type2 diabetic obese with high levels of inflammatory markers, (n = 64) Dose: 1.0 g fish oil supplied in soft gel capsules including 300 mg EPA and 200 mg DHA;
Duration: 8 weeks
  • −

    Significant reduction in the level of hs-CRP, FBG, and TG after 8 weeks of treatment, whereas no significant changes appeared in IL-6 and TC.

 [40]
T2DM patients (BMI ≤ 29.9), aged 25–60 years, with no other chronic diseases, (n = 65) Dose: 520 mg of DHA + EPA-enriched fish oil each per day;
Duration: 24-weeks
  • −

    Overall improvement in the lipid profile with a significant decrease in triacylglycerols and atherogenic index

  • −

    Beneficial effect of EPA + DHA supplementation on waist circumference, glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin, leptin, and leptin/adiponectin ratio

 [41]
T2DM patients (n = 40) Dose: 100 mg/d DHA & 200 mg/d EPA supplement;
Durations: 3 months
  • −

    Reduction in neuropathic pain symptoms was significantly correlated with an increase in plasma DHA and decrease the level of sphingosine

 [42]
Individuals with a high risk of developing diabetes or IFG or IGT (n = 64) Dose- fish oil capsules (1.2 g DHA + EPA) 2 capsules twice a day;
Duration: 12 weeks
  • −

    Curcumin and LC n-3 PUFA reduces the insulin resistance (IR) and triglycerides

  • −

    FA has profound effect on dyslipidemia and Atherogenic index of plasma (AIP)

 [43]
T2DM patients with CKD (n = 25) Dose: 2 g/d concentrated fish oil;
Duration: 3 months
  • −

    Short term Omega-3 supplementation had no effect on renal function and glycemic control

 [44]
Purified O-3 PUFA
Overweight patients with T2DM (n = 67) Dose: 2 g purified EPA daily;
Duration: 3 months
  • −

    Significant decrease in FPG, HbA1c, and HOMA-IR

 [45]
T2DM patients with CKD (n = 31) Dose: Omega-3 PUFA capsules (EPA + DHA) 4 g/d;
Duration: 6 weeks
  • −

    Non-significant effect on urine albumin excretion;

  • −

    potential effect of omega-3 supplementation on biomarkers of kidney injury with T2DM

 [46]
T2DM nephropathic patients (n = 19) Dose: OMACOR 3 g/d;
Duration: 12 weeks
  • −

    No beneficial effect of O-3 FA supplementation on proteinuria; however, it may alter the FA content of erythrocyte membrane FA

 [47]
T2DM patients (n = 90) Dose: 2714 mg/d (EPA = 1548 mg, DHA = 828 mg and 338 mg of other omega = 3 fatty acids);
Duration: 2 months
  • −

    Significant reduction in HbA1c level

 [48]
T2DM with stable coronary artery disease
(n = 262)		 Dose: 1.86 g/d EPA and 1.5 g/d DHA
  • −

    Attenuated progression of albuminuria via conversion of angiotensin enzyme inhibitor or blockage of angiotensin receptor

 [49]
O-3 PUFA in combination with probiotics
Overweight (BMI > 25), healthy adults, aged 40–60 years (n = 60) Dose: One capsule of VSL#3 and purified omega-3 fatty acid (180 mg EPA and 120 mg DHA per capsule) per daily;
Duration: 6 weeks
  • −

    Atherogenic index significantly (p < 0.01) decreased

  • −

    Improved HDL, insulin sensitivity, and amelioration of inflammation (hsCRP).

  • −

    Increase in Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium and reduction in gram-negative bacteria

 [50]
Patients with NAFLD (n = 48) Dose: Symbiter Omega—a live multi-strain probiotic mixture with flax and wheat germ oil containing O-3 FA; once daily;
Duration: 8 weeks
  • −

    Reduced liver fat; improved serum lipids, metabolic profile; and reduced chronic systemic inflammatory state.

 [51]
T2DM patients (n = 54) Dose: Symbiter Omega—a live multi-strain probiotic mixture with flax and wheat germ oil containing O-3 FA;
Duration: 8 weeks
  • −

    Significant reduction in HOMA2-IR

 [52]
O-3 PUFA in combination with Vitamin D
T2DM patients (n = 1312) Dose: Vit-D3 2000 IU/d and Omega-3 FA Fish oil supplementation (EPA and DHA) 1 g/d;
Duration: 6 h
  • −

    Findings do not support the use of Vit-D3 and Omega-3 FA supplementation for preserving kidney function in T2DM patients.

 [53]
Pre-diabetic with hypervitaminosis D (n = 168 W) Dose- 1000 mg omega-3 supplement (360 EPA + 240 mg DHA) twice a day + Vit D
50,000 IU every 2 weeks;
Duration: 8 weeks
  • −

    Alleviated risk factors of T2DM

 [54]
T2DM patients (n = 1312) Dose: Vitamin D and Omacor (EPA + DHA) 1 g/d;
Duration: 5 years
  • −

    No effect of Omega-3 FAs on IL-6, hsCRP, or NT-proBNP

 [55]

(hs-CRP: high sensitivity C-reactive protein; FBG: fasting blood glucose; T2DM: type-2 diabetes mellitus; TC: total cholesterol; BMI: body mass index; CKD: chronic kidney disease; FPG: fasting plasma glucose; HbA1c: hemoglobin A1C; HOMA-IR: homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance; NT-proBNP: N-terminal pro b-type natriuretic peptide; O-3 PUFA: omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids; EPA: Eicosapentaenoic acid; DHA: docosahexaenoic acid; ALA: α-linolenic acid; NAFLD: non-alcoholic fatty liver disease; FPG: fasting plasma glucose; LC n-3 PUFA: long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids; CKD: chronic kidney disease).