Omega-3 to Reduce Diabetes Risk in Subjects With High Number of Particles That Carry "Bad Cholesterol" in the Blood

In this project, investigators explored the role of the particles that carry "bad cholesterol" in the blood (termed LDL) that are known to promote heart disease, in the promotion of type 2 diabetes (T2D) in humans. In specific, they investigated how these particles may induce the activation of an immune pathway in human fat tissue leading to multiple anomalies that favors T2D. They also explored whether omega-3 fatty acids, which are the type of fat found in fish oils can counterbalance the negative effects of LDL in fat tissue, thus providing a natural way to help reduce the risk for T2D in subjects with elevated blood LDL. To do so, 41 subjects who were free of disease or medication affecting metabolism were enrolled at the Montreal Clinical Research Institute between 2013 and 2019 and were placed on an intervention with omega-3 fatty acids supplementation for 12 weeks (2.7 g/day, Triple Strength Omega-3 from Webbers Naturals). Investigators examined the effects of LDL and omega-3 on risk factors for T2D before and after the intervention in the whole body and specifically in fat tissue biopsies taken from the hip region. Eighty percent of the subjects who were enrolled into the study completed the intervention.