Controlling your blood glucose levels is essential if you have diabetes. Fish oil supplements may have an effect on blood glucose levels, but it appears that they lower, rather than raise, the amount of glucose in your blood. Talk to your doctor before taking fish oil or any other supplement.
Blood Glucose Levels
Glucose is one of the most efficient sources of energy for the human body. Your body tries to maintain a certain amount of glucose in your blood at all times. Too much glucose is a sign of diabetes. If you have diabetes, keeping your blood glucose levels low is important to prevent complications, such as an increased risk of heart disease, nerve damage and vision loss due to retinal problems.
Fish Oil
Fish oil is a supplement derived from "fatty" fish such as mackerel, herring and lake trout. Fatty fish are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, a kind of unsaturated fat that the body cannot make, but is essential for your health. You can take fish oil to reduce your risk of having a heart attack and for other conditions, such as arthritis.
Fish Oil and Glucose
There is some controversy regarding the effects of fish oil on blood glucose levels. A study published in a 2001 issue of "Clinical and Experimental Pharmacology and Physiology" found that rats given fish oil had lower blood glucose levels, possibly due to increased insulin secretion. However, a study published in a 2007 issue of "Nutrition, Metabolism and Cardiovascular Diseases" found no relationship between fish oil intake and blood glucose levels.
Considerations
It is unlikely that taking fish oil supplements will cause a significant increase in your blood glucose levels, so fish oil is most likely safe for diabetics. However, you should talk to your doctor before consuming fish oil or any other omega-3 fatty acid supplement. Omega-3 fatty acids can increase your risk of bleeding or bruising easily and might interact with other medications.
References
- National Diabetes Education Program: Glucose -- Know Your Numbers
- MayoClinic.com: Fish Oil
- "Clinical and Experimental Pharmacology and Physiology"; Beneficial Effects Of Fish Oil On Glucose Metabolism In Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats; Ajiro et al.; 2001
- "Nutrition, Metabolism and Cardiovascular Diseases"; Fish Oil, Insulin Sensitivity, Insulin Secretion and Glucose Tolerance in Healthy People: Is There Any Effect of Fish Oil Supplementation in Relation to the Type of Background Diet and Habitual Dietary Intake of N-6 and N-3 Fatty Acids? ; Giaocco et al.; 2007
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