According to a new study published in the journal Diabetes Care, omega 3 fatty acids may reduce kidney damage in type-1 diabetics. The study found that kidney function was improved for type-1 diabetics with the highest average intake of omega-3 fatty acids, compared with those who had a lower intake.

The study, funded by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, used data from 1,436 participants in the Diabetes Control and Complications Trial, and included people between the ages of 13 and 39.

The researchers analyzed the protein levels in the blood of the participants.

This condition, called albuminuria or proteinuria, is a sign of chronic kidney disease, which can result form diabetes and high blood pressure. Most proteins are too big to pass through the kidneys’ filters into the urine. However, proteins from the blood can leak into the urine when the filters of the kidney, called glomeruli, are damaged.

In the study, urinary albumin (the main protein in blood) excretion rates were measured over a 24-hour period, and followed up over six and half years. The omega 3 fatty acid supplementation had a definite positive effect on the levels of albumin in these patients, and the higher the dosage the lower the incidence.¹

Kidney disease

Each year in the United States, more than 100,000 people are diagnosed with kidney failure, a serious condition in which the kidneys fail to rid the body of wastes.² Kidney failure is the final stage of chronic kidney disease (CKD).

Diabetes is the most common cause of kidney failure, accounting for nearly 44 percent of new cases.² Even when diabetes is controlled, the disease can lead to CKD and kidney failure. Most people with diabetes do not develop CKD that is severe enough to progress to kidney failure. Nearly 24 million people in the United States have diabetes,² and nearly 180,000 people are living with kidney failure as a result of diabetes.³

High blood pressure, or hypertension, is a major factor in the development of kidney problems in people with diabetes. Both a family history of hypertension and the presence of hypertension appear to increase chances of developing kidney disease. Hypertension also accelerates the progress of kidney disease when it already exists. Hypertension can be seen not only as a cause of kidney disease but also as a result of damage created by the disease. As kidney disease progresses, physical changes in the kidneys lead to increased blood pressure. Therefore, a dangerous spiral, involving rising blood pressure and factors that raise blood pressure, occurs. Early detection and treatment of even mild hypertension are essential for people with diabetes.⁴

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