To compare the impact of dietary fish oil supplementation (FQ. 22 ml daily, containing
4.6 g of n-3 (omega-3) fatty acids, equalling 14.4 mmol) on carbohydrate and lipid
metabolism with that of conventional lipostatic therapy (Gemfibrozil (G), 900 mg daily,
equalling 3.6 mmol) on hyperlipidemic non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM),
10 patients were selected for a randomized, short-time, cross-over study. Each patient
was treated for a duration of 2 weeks, with an individual washout period of 8 weeks.
Metabolic variables and intravenous glucose tolerances (1.2 mmol/kg body weight, t
= 30 min) were determined on days 1 and 15 of each treatment period. Plasma lipid
concentrations were identical at baseline, but were reduced more markedly following
G as against FO exposure (% change vs. baseline: total cholesterol (chol), - 13* */-6*
(G vs FO: p = 0.05); total triglycerides (TG), - 39* */-18* * (p < 0.05): APO B, -
17* */- 10* (N.S.); LDL-chol, - 15* */0 (p < 0.02); VLDL-chol, - 50* * */- 34* * *
(N.S.); VLDL-TG, - 44* * */- 27* * (N.S.); (p vs. baseline: * < 0.05, * * < 0.01,
* * * < 0.001). Total-HDL, HDL2, HDL3 and APO A were not influenced by either FO or G. Neither FO nor G induced a change
in intravenous glucose tolerances or associated basal and incremental concentrations
of insulin and C-peptide. We concluded, based on short-time applications, that (a)
neither treatment affected the carbohydrate metabolism in patients with NIDDM, and
(b) a greater hypolipidemic efficacy had to be assigned to Gemfibrozil than to fish
oil. It would therefore appear that Gemfibrozil acts as a useful lipostatic pharmacologic
compound, whilst fish oil could serve as a potential ingredient of a prudent cardio-protective
diet which favours the low plasma triglyceride concentrations found in NIDDM patients.
Key words
Fish Oil - Gemfibrozil - Hyperlipidemia - Plasma Lipids - Glucose Tolerance - HbA1c
- Non-Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus
