Cited by 141Fatty Acid Research and HealthDiet, Metabolism, and DiseaseNutritional Studies and Diet

Insulin-sensitizing effects of omega-3 fatty acids: lost in translation?

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Lalia, Antigoni, Lanza, Ian·2016·Nutrients

Abstract

Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFA) of marine origin, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), have been long studied for their therapeutic potential in the context of type 2 diabetes, insulin resistance, and glucose homeostasis. Glaring discordance between observations in animal and human studies precludes, to date, any practical application of n-3 PUFA as nutritional therapeutics against insulin resistance in humans. Our objective in this review is to summarize current knowledge and provide an up-to-date commentary on the therapeutic value of EPA and DHA supplementation for improving insulin sensitivity in humans. We also sought to discuss potential mechanisms of n-3 PUFA action in target tissues, in specific skeletal muscle, based on our recent work, as well as in liver and adipose tissue. We conducted a literature search to include all preclinical and clinical studies performed within the last two years and to comment on representative studies published earlier. Recent studies support a growing consensus that there are beneficial effects of n-3 PUFA on insulin sensitivity in rodents. Observational studies in humans are encouraging, however, the vast majority of human intervention studies fail to demonstrate the benefit of n-3 PUFA in type 2 diabetes or insulin-resistant non-diabetic people. Nevertheless, there are still several unanswered questions regarding the potential impact of n-3 PUFA on metabolic function in humans.

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Authors
Lalia, A., & Lanza, I.
Affiliations
Mayo Clinic (US)
Corresponding author
Lanza, Ian
Venue
Nutrients
Publisher
MDPI AG
Published
2016-06-01
Volume
8
Issue
6
Pages
329
ISSN
2072-6643 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2414466164
Cited by
141
References
150
Citations by year
2026: 6 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 8 · 2023: 13 · 2022: 16 · 2021: 21 · 2020: 26 · 2019: 18 · 2018: 14 · 2017: 10 · 2016: 3
FWCI
2.02
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Nutrients (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
Funders
  • Georgia Clinical and Translational Science Alliance
  • National Institutes of Health (KL2TR000136)
  • National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Nursing › Nutrition and Dietetics › Fatty Acid Research and Health
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism › Diet, Metabolism, and Disease
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Nutritional Studies and Diet
Keywords
omega-3 fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic acid, docosahexaenoic acid, insulin sensitivity, insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, glucose homeostasis, dietary supplementation, skeletal muscle, liver, adipose tissue, translational gap
MeSH terms
Aging, Animals, Energy Intake, Glucose, Humans, Insulin Resistance, Fatty Acids, Omega-3

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