August 2005

NCCAM report: Omega-3 may be effective for diabetes

The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) published a report in July stating that most dietary supplements are not effective for treating diabetes, but omega-3 fatty acids may be the exception.

The NCCAM report, entitled “Treating Type 2 Diabetes with Dietary Supplements,” evaluated six supplements for their effectiveness in the treatment of diabetes: alpha-lipoic acid, chromium, coenzyme Q10, garlic, magnesium, and omega-3 fatty acids.

The report states that most of the supplements are not effective for treating diabetes. However, the omega-3 fatty acids, which have been studied more thoroughly than other supplements, may be the exception.

Omega-3s have been shown to reduce the incidence of heart attack and stroke and slow the progression of atherosclerosis in patients without diabetes. In patients with Type 2 diabetes, studies suggest that omega-3s can lower triglyceride levels, but the supplements have not been shown to have a significant effect on total cholesterol or blood glucose levels.

The report concludes that more research needs to be done to determine whether omega-3s are safe and effective for preventing heart problems in people with diabetes. It is available online at http://nccam.nih.gov/health/diabetes/.

Source: National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, http://nccam.nih.gov.

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