Use of Cod Liver Oil Reduces Diabetes Risk

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Use of Cod Liver Oil Reduces Diabetes Risk

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) Dec 16 - Use of cod liver oil appears to reduce the risk of type 1 diabetes, possibly through the anti-inflammatory effects of long-chain n-3 fatty acids, according to researchers.

"In Norway, cod liver oil is an important source of dietary vitamin D and the long-chain n-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), all of which have biological properties of potential relevance for the prevention of type 1 diabetes," Dr. Lars C. Stene, of the Norwegian Institute of Public Health, in Oslo, and colleagues write in the December issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

The researchers examined whether maternal intake or childhood use during the first year of life of dietary cod liver oil is associated with a lower risk of type 1 diabetes among children. Included in the nation-wide case-control study in Norway were 545 cases of childhood-onset type 1 diabetes and 1668 control subjects. Families completed questionnaires on the frequency of use of cod liver oil and other vitamin D supplements and other factors.

An association was observed between the use of cod liver oil in the first year of life and a significantly lower risk of type 1 diabetes (adjusted odds ratio = 0.74). No such association was found with the use of other vitamin D supplements during the first year of life or with maternal use of cod liver oil or other vitamin D supplements during pregnancy (see related Reuters Health story, December 15, 2003).

These results suggest a possible effect of the long-chain n-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA. "These fatty acids may influence gene expression, have anti-inflammatory effects, and have been shown to be relevant in the prevention and treatment of several chronic diseases," Dr. Stene and colleagues write.

"If our results are corroborated in prospective studies with genetically high-risk persons or persons with autoantibodies predictive of type 1 diabetes, cod liver oil or individual fatty acids such as DHA may be candidates for preventive intervention trials," they conclude.

Am J Clin Nutr 2003;78:1128-1134.

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