A new large-scale study suggests that fish oil supplementation may help reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes (T2D) in individuals with prediabetes, offering new insight into nutrition-based prevention strategies.
Growing Diabetes Burden
Type 2 diabetes has become a major global health challenge, accounting for over 90% of all diabetes cases. According to the International Diabetes Federation, more than 537 million adults were living with diabetes in 2021. In the United States, data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey show that nearly 39% of adults were classified as prediabetic in 2020, placing them at high risk for disease progression and complications.
Fish Oil’s Protective Role
Using data from the UK Biobank, researchers found that habitual fish oil use was associated with a 9% reduction in diabetes risk among prediabetic individuals. The protective effect was influenced by genetic variations at the GLUT4 gene, which plays a key role in glucose transport in muscle tissue.
To explore the biological mechanisms, the research team conducted dietary interventions in diabetic mice using the fish oil–derived fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Advanced metabolomic analyses revealed that both EPA and DHA improved glucose metabolism by altering levels of key metabolites involved in energy regulation, while also enhancing insulin sensitivity in skeletal muscle.
Mechanisms Behind the Effect
The study found that EPA and DHA promoted glucose oxidation and glycogen synthesis by increasing pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) and glycogen synthase (GS) activity while suppressing PDK4 expression. Importantly, EPA more effectively boosted GLUT4 translocation—a critical process that enables muscle cells to absorb glucose—by activating AKT signaling and upregulating vesicle trafficking proteins such as Rab GTPases and t-SNAREs. DHA also contributed to GLUT4 regulation but through a more selective pathway.
Implications for Prevention
This is the first prospective cohort study to confirm the benefits of fish oil supplementation in preventing type 2 diabetes among prediabetic individuals. The findings highlight EPA as potentially more effective than DHA in improving glucose control and suggest that targeted nutritional strategies could play an important role in delaying or preventing disease onset.
Researchers emphasize that these insights may help guide the development of new dietary interventions and therapeutic approaches focusing on glucose metabolism and GLUT4 translocation.
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE
Twice-Weekly Fasting Best for Managing Type 2 Diabetes
Tirzepatide Tops Effectiveness in Managing Type 2 Diabetes, Study Finds
