The effect of fish oil concentrate on the lipoprotein profile in patients with Type II Diabetes mellitus

Abstract

Non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) is associated with increased very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) and triglyceride concentrations as abnormalities of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) composition. Because fish oil has a strong triglyceride lowering effect in case of normolipemic subjects, we investigated the influence of supplementary fish oil diet in patients suffering from NIDDM (n = 19), who until now were not treated by drugs but only by diet. The study was started with a placebo-run-in-period for four weeks (phase I, 6 g rape seed oil capsules/d), followed by a verum period for twelve weeks (phase II, 6 g fish oil concentrate capsules/d), and a wash-out-period for four weeks (phase III, 6 g rape seed oil capsules/d). The fish oil supplementation contained at least 3 g eicosapentenoic and docosahexenoic acid. The lipoproteins, apolipoproteins, blood glucose, and insulin level (fasting and after load test) were checked at the beginning and at the end of each phase. In comparison to the placebo rape seed oil supplementation, the fish oil diet effected a decrease of serum triglycerides by 29%. LDL-cholesterol increased by 9%, HDL-cholesterol by 9% (especially HDL2-cholesterol), and apolipoprotein B by 4%. Apolipoprotein A-I was reduced by 9%. The fasting blood glucose and the glucose load test as the insulin level (fasting and after load test) showed no significant changes at the end of the verum period in comparison to the run-in-phase.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)