Increased plasma n‐3 polyunsaturated fatty acid is associated with improved insulin sensitivity in type 2 diabetes in China

Abstract

Increased tissue n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) is associated with improved insulin sensitivity in type 2 diabetes. However, this relationship among Chinese is not clear. To investigate the relationship between plasma phospholipids (PL) fatty acid composition and insulin resistance (IR) in type 2 diabetes mellitus, 186 type 2 diabetes and 180 healthy subjects were studied in this case-control study. In the sex, age and BMI controlled partial correlation, homeostasis model assessment (HOMA)-IR and blood glucose was significantly negatively correlated with plasma PL n-3 PUFA, 20:5n-3 and ratio of n-3:n-6 (p<0.01), and positively correlated with n-6 PUFA (p<0.001) and saturated fatty acid (p<0.05) in the diabetes patients. PL 22:6n-3 was also significantly negatively correlated with HOMA-IR (p<0.01), but not with blood glucose. Fasting insulin was significantly negatively correlated with plasma PL n-3 PUFA, 20:5n-3, 22:6n-3 and ratio of n-3:n-6 (p<0.01). The 18:3n-3 was not associated with HOMA-IR and fasting insulin. The results suggested that increased plasma PL n-3 PUFA, 20:5n-3, 22:6n-3 and ratio of n-3:n-6 PUFA was associated with decreased HOMA-IR in type 2 diabetes. Increased plasma PL n-3 PUFA improves insulin sensitivity in type 2 diabetes.

Effects of n‐3 PUFA on insulin resistance after an oral fat load

“…Also in this case our results are in contrast with Simão et al that reported an increase of insulin resistance with n-3 PUFA, but in line with Thorseng et al [44] and Huang et al [45] that suggested that some types of n-3 PUFA may have a protective effect against insulin resistance. Also a review conducted by Moreno-Aliaga et al [46] reached the same results, concluding that the ability of n-3 PUFA to improve obesity and insulin resistance conditions partially results from the modulation of white adipose tissue metabolism and the secretion of bioactive adipokines including leptin, ADN, and visfatin.…”

Erythrocyte n-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids and the Risk of Type 2 Diabetes in Koreans: A Case-Control Study

“…Higher D6D activity could contribute to the high proportion of 18:3n6 in patients with type 2 diabetes in the present study, but 18:2n6 levels were higher in patients with type 2 diabetes than in the controls [29]. Huang et al [27] also observed that plasma levels of n-6 PUFA and 18:2n6 were higher in Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes than in the controls, and positively correlated with glucose levels. The situation is complicated regarding 20:4n6; both deleterious and protective effects of 20:4n6 have been reported [30].…”

“…Djoussé et al [10] found no association between plasma levels of n-3 PUFAs and the incidence of type 2 diabetes, but did observe a lower risk of type 2 diabetes in participants who were in the highest quartile of 22:5n3 and 22:6n3 plasma concentrations, suggesting that at certain levels, n-3 PUFA might reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes. Blood levels of 22:5n3 and 22:6n3 were 10% higher in the present study when compared to Western populations, and 8% higher than in Western populations in a Chinese study [27]. …”

Modulation of the Association between the <b><i>PEPD</i></b> Variant and the Risk of Type 2 Diabetes by n-3 Fatty Acids in Chinese Hans

“…In the Shanghai Women's Health Study, a higher intake of long-chain n-3 fatty acids was associated with a lower risk of T2D in a population of 64,193 Chinese women [24]. Plasma n-3 long-chain fatty acids were associated with improved insulin sensitivity in Chinese T2D patients [25]. Our present study supports that a higher level of n-3 fatty acids was associated with a lower risk of T2D, and a higher level of n-3 fatty acids was also able to modify the genetic risk of T2D.…”