Omega-3 Supplements Show Potential Benefits Against Type 2 Diabetes: Study - Video

A common kitchen supplement may be doing far more than protecting the heart. New research suggests fish oil could also help reverse insulin resistance, even in people with type 2 diabetes who are not obese.

In a study published in Nutrients, researchers from Brazil found that omega-3 fatty acids from fish oil improved blood sugar control and reduced insulin resistance in a special strain of diabetic rats that develop type 2 diabetes without obesity. The findings highlight inflammation as a key driver of diabetes, even when excess body weight is not present.

The research focused on Goto-Kakizaki rats, a widely used model for non-obese type 2 diabetes. After receiving fish oil supplements rich in EPA and DHA for eight weeks, the animals showed better glucose tolerance, lower insulin resistance, reduced inflammatory markers, and healthier cholesterol and triglyceride levels.

Scientists discovered that the benefits were linked to changes in the immune system. Diabetes is increasingly viewed not only as a metabolic disorder but also as an inflammatory condition. In the untreated rats, immune cells called lymphocytes produced higher levels of inflammation-promoting signals. Fish oil appeared to reverse this pattern, reducing inflammatory immune cells while increasing regulatory T-cells, which help calm inflammation.

Researchers believe this immune shift may have improved the body's ability to respond to insulin. By lowering chronic inflammation, omega-3 fatty acids helped restore healthier glucose regulation despite the absence of obesity.

The findings are particularly important because an estimated 10–20% of people with type 2 diabetes worldwide are not obese. Their disease may develop through different biological pathways than obesity-related diabetes, making targeted treatments especially valuable.

Experts caution that the current study was conducted in animals, not humans, and more research is needed to determine the ideal dosage and effectiveness in patients. Still, the findings provide another clue that controlling inflammation may be a powerful strategy in tackling diabetes—and that fish oil could become part of that conversation.

REFERENCE: Tiago Bertola Lobato, Elvirah Samantha de Sousa Santos, et al.; Omega-3 Fatty Acids Weaken Lymphocyte Inflammatory Features and Improve Glycemic Control in Nonobese Diabetic Goto-Kakizaki Rats. Nutrients, 2024; 16 (23): 4106 DOI: 10.3390/nu16234106