The anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties of fish oil emulsion, and its potential benefits to diabetic patients

Researchers from Slovakia investigate the capability of omega-3 fatty acids from fish oil emulsion to reduce hyperglycemia-induced oxidative stress and inflammation in diabetic patients that result in diabetes-related complications. Their findings were published in the journal Nutrition Research.

• People suffering from diabetes often develop equally debilitating complications such as cardiovascular disease, retinopathy, nephropathy, and neuropathy, which are significant causes of increased morbidity and mortality among diabetes patients.
• Previous studies confirm that hyperglycemia has pro-oxidative and pro-inflammatory properties which cause diabetes-related complications.
• The researchers hypothesized that supplementing diabetic patients with fish oil emulsion (FOE), which is rich in omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, might reduce hyperglycemia-induced pathological changes due to specific properties of FOE.
• They tested their hypothesis by examining the potential protective effect of FOE on hyperglycemia-induced oxidative stress and cytokine generation in monocytes/macrophages U937 system in vitro.
• They cultivated monocytes/macrophages U937 under normal or hyperglycemic (35 mmol/L glucose) conditions with/without FOE for 72 hours.
• They focused on specific markers for oxidative stress (antioxidant capacity; superoxide dismutase activity; oxidative damage to DNA, proteins, and lipids) and inflammation (tumor necrosis factor, interleukin-6, interleukin-8, monocytic chemotactic protein-1). Hyperglycemia caused reduction of antioxidant capacity, induction of DNA damage, and pro-inflammatory cytokine secretion.
• The researchers observed that FOE significantly increased the antioxidant capacity of cells as well as superoxide dismutase activity, while significantly reducing tumor necrosis factor, interleukin-6, interleukin-8, and monocytic chemotactic protein-1 release.
• FOE exhibited no effect on oxidative damage to DNA, proteins, and lipids.

The results indicated that FOE can reduce hyperglycemia-induced oxidative stress and inflammation by its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

Visit FishOil.news for more studies on the effects of fish oil supplementation on other inflammatory conditions.

Journal Reference:

Laubertova L, Konarikova K, Gbelcova H, Durackova Z, Muchova J, Garaiova I, Zitnanova I. FISH OIL EMULSION SUPPLEMENTATION MIGHT IMPROVE QUALITY OF LIFE OF DIABETIC PATIENTS DUE TO ITS ANTIOXIDANT AND ANTI-INFLAMMATORY PROPERTIES. Nutrition Research. 2017;46:49–58. DOI: 10.1016/j.nutres.2017.07.012