Fish oil
 

There is some research that taking fish oil suppliments
can cause insulin resistance. Has anyone seen this
information? I have diabetes II, am 64 yrs. young.
I take fish oil suppliment at breakfast and my blood
sugar shoots up after breakfast. I always thought it
was the mysterious morning phenomenom. Could it
be the fish oil? Would it work that quickly?

Peg

Hi
 

Hello,

I haven't seen any information on this. But I imagine it is that it is in some of the ADA literature that indicates that fat causes insulin resistance. This is a true statement, but misleading. What they mean in body fat causes insulin resistance, not dietary fat.

I suspect that if you are seeing a spike, it is probably something you are eating. How big a spike, and what are you having for breakfast?

Good luck, let us know,
wsgts

Actually, just the opposite is true.

First, natural fats and oils are completely NEUTRAL in terms of insulin and blood sugar levels -- they neither raise nor lower. However, processed and hydrogenated TRANSfats, such as margarine and shortening are linked to free radical damage and increased blood lipid levels.

Studies show that fish oils can lower triglyceride levels in the blood, and this is a good thing. High triglyc. is more strongly linked to heart disease than high cholesterol. There was once a concern that for diabetics, fish oils could make the LDL go up (the so-called "bad" cholesterol). Well, turns out that yes, it does, but only very slightly. At the same time the fish oils also made the HDL go up ... which is the "good" cholesterol. A higher HDL level is very protective, and can outweigh the risk from an elevated LDL.

Here is a page full of recent health articles and studies, showing the benefits of Fish Oils and Diabetes.

Doreen

Agree. I take fish oil capsules twice a day. My triglicerides are about 30. Dietician also suggested that this level is probably due to the fish oil. If anything, oil would slow down digestion of carbs, not accelerate it.

Peg,

What are you eating at breakfast? As others have mentioned, the fish oil will not affect blood sugar.