Fish Oil may help fight T1D

[Mom2rh]

Anybody see this?

http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2007/09/diabetes_fish.html

My mom was telling me about this...it was in the Sunday supplement in the paper this w/e.

Interesting.

[EmmasPapa]

Yes, I read that same piece this weekend. Very interesting.

[Ellen]

This to me is brilliant research. Safe!

[hartpukas]

I still have "those" days when I blame nitrates for Zoe's onset. If only I had pumped her up on salmon...

[Brensdad]

Emmasmom did some research into this, and from what I gather, here are the points she made to me:

1. The dosage would have to be 12 times the normal daily dosage, and

2. The protective benefit from the fish oil begins to deteriorate over time as the body becomes to overcome the benefits.

[Charmed7]

I'm always sceptical about things like this. My first question was, how long did they "watch" those kids after the research. Did it delay the onset or contribute to preventing it? Though I love the fact that they are researching different aspects (and not just what drug can we pump into them to treat) I am always weary of the results printed because the information is tunneled into what they want to write about. There are so many other factors that aren't mentioned.

Interesting read tho.

Charmed

[Boo]

I'll probably get a lot of grief about this, but I found this comment from the article very interesting:

"Certain dietary factors have been associated with the onset of type 1 diabetes as well as the autoimmune process that leads to the disease."

It seems that many people on this site seem to be adamantly against comments like these. I think perhaps because it implies that there can be blame placed upon them for not feeding thier child "right". I personally don't see it that way.

Ironically, fish is one of my T1's favorite foods, though I believe this developed after his diagnosis. I'm not a huge fish fan myself, but maybe I'll serve it more often...in a desperate effort to keep any of my other kids from developing it! ;)

[Ellen]

Here's the abstract of one study. I have tremendous respect for Dr. Clare-Salzler

JAMA. (javascript:AL_get(this, 'jour', 'JAMA.');) 2007 Sep 26;298(12):1420-8.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/corehtml/query/egifs/http:--highwire.stanford.edu-icons-externalservices-pubmed-custom-jama_full.gif (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/utils/fref.fcgi?PrId=3051&itool=AbstractPlus-def&uid=17895458&db=pubmed&url=http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/pmidlookup?view=long&pmid=17895458)
Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid intake and islet autoimmunity in children at increased risk for type 1 diabetes.

Norris JM (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?Db=pubmed&Cmd=Search&Term=%22Norris%20JM%22%5BAuthor%5D&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsP anel.Pubmed_RVAbstractPlus), Yin X (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?Db=pubmed&Cmd=Search&Term=%22Yin%20X%22%5BAuthor%5D&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsP anel.Pubmed_RVAbstractPlus), Lamb MM (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?Db=pubmed&Cmd=Search&Term=%22Lamb%20MM%22%5BAuthor%5D&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsP anel.Pubmed_RVAbstractPlus), Barriga K (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?Db=pubmed&Cmd=Search&Term=%22Barriga%20K%22%5BAuthor%5D&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsP anel.Pubmed_RVAbstractPlus), Seifert J (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?Db=pubmed&Cmd=Search&Term=%22Seifert%20J%22%5BAuthor%5D&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsP anel.Pubmed_RVAbstractPlus), Hoffman M (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?Db=pubmed&Cmd=Search&Term=%22Hoffman%20M%22%5BAuthor%5D&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsP anel.Pubmed_RVAbstractPlus), Orton HD (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?Db=pubmed&Cmd=Search&Term=%22Orton%20HD%22%5BAuthor%5D&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsP anel.Pubmed_RVAbstractPlus), Barón AE (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?Db=pubmed&Cmd=Search&Term=%22Bar%C3%B3n%20AE%22%5BAuthor%5D&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsP anel.Pubmed_RVAbstractPlus), Clare-Salzler M (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?Db=pubmed&Cmd=Search&Term=%22Clare-Salzler%20M%22%5BAuthor%5D&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsP anel.Pubmed_RVAbstractPlus), Chase HP (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?Db=pubmed&Cmd=Search&Term=%22Chase%20HP%22%5BAuthor%5D&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsP anel.Pubmed_RVAbstractPlus), Szabo NJ (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?Db=pubmed&Cmd=Search&Term=%22Szabo%20NJ%22%5BAuthor%5D&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsP anel.Pubmed_RVAbstractPlus), Erlich H (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?Db=pubmed&Cmd=Search&Term=%22Erlich%20H%22%5BAuthor%5D&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsP anel.Pubmed_RVAbstractPlus), Eisenbarth GS (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?Db=pubmed&Cmd=Search&Term=%22Eisenbarth%20GS%22%5BAuthor%5D&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsP anel.Pubmed_RVAbstractPlus), Rewers M (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?Db=pubmed&Cmd=Search&Term=%22Rewers%20M%22%5BAuthor%5D&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsP anel.Pubmed_RVAbstractPlus).
Department of Preventive Medicine and Biostatistics, University of Colorado at Denver and Health Sciences Center, Denver, CO 80262, USA. jill.norris@uchsc.edu
CONTEXT: Cod liver oil supplements in infancy have been associated with a decreased risk of type 1 diabetes mellitus in a retrospective study. OBJECTIVE: To examine whether intakes of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids are associated with the development of islet autoimmunity (IA) in children. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: A longitudinal, observational study, the Diabetes Autoimmunity Study in the Young (DAISY), conducted in Denver, Colorado, between January 1994 and November 2006, of 1770 children at increased risk for type 1 diabetes, defined as either possession of a high diabetes risk HLA genotype or having a sibling or parent with type 1 diabetes. The mean age at follow-up was 6.2 years. Islet autoimmunity was assessed in association with reported dietary intake of polyunsaturated fatty acids starting at age 1 year. A case-cohort study (N = 244) was also conducted in which risk of IA by polyunsaturated fatty acid content of erythrocyte membranes (as a percentage of total lipids) was examined. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Risk of IA, defined as being positive for insulin, glutamic acid decarboxylase, or insulinoma-associated antigen-2 autoantibodies on 2 consecutive visits and still autoantibody positive or having diabetes at last follow-up visit. RESULTS: Fifty-eight children developed IA. Adjusting for HLA genotype, family history of type 1 diabetes, caloric intake, and omega-6 fatty acid intake, omega-3 fatty acid intake was inversely associated with risk of IA (hazard ratio [HR], 0.45; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.21-0.96; P = .04). The association was strengthened when the definition of the outcome was limited to those positive for 2 or more autoantibodies (HR, 0.23; 95% CI, 0.09-0.58; P = .002). In the case-cohort study, omega-3 fatty acid content of erythrocyte membranes was also inversely associated with IA risk (HR, 0.63; 95% CI, 0.41-0.96; P = .03). CONCLUSION: Dietary intake of omega-3 fatty acids is associated with reduced risk of IA in children at increased genetic risk for type 1 diabetes.
PMID: 17895458 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

[Gwyn]

Studies like these are so interesting--on the one hand, imagine finding out that a simply dietary change could keep diabetes at bay!

On the other hand, when I read something like this, I can't help wondering if I could have done anything different and saved Devin from getting diabetes.

One of my biggest (yet completely irrational) fears is that someone will discover that something we think is healthy actually causes or triggers diabetes--like getting immunized, or drinking soft water, or not eating enough fish......

[Boo]

One of my biggest (yet completely irrational) fears is that someone will discover that something we think is healthy actually causes or triggers diabetes--like getting immunized, or drinking soft water, or not eating enough fish......

Though I don't discount this possibility, I think that would only be a part of it. It would have to be something more complicated. If it were something that simple, all of my kids would have D. I think something like that could possibly be a factor in the onset of type 1, but I think there must be multiple other things that contribute as well.

[akrickard]

I still have "those" days when I blame nitrates for Zoe's onset. If only I had pumped her up on salmon...

Ginny has always been nuts for salmon. In fact we have a picture of her first "people food" meal and it's her eating salmon. ;)

[hartpukas]

Zoe does too, she L-O-V-E-S salmon. It is a grrreat food.

[Kirsten]

I saw this and started buying eggs high in Omega 3. I figure it can't hurt.

Kirsten

[EmmasMom]

Emmasmom did some research into this, and from what I gather, here are the points she made to me:

1. The dosage would have to be 12 times the normal daily dosage, and

2. The protective benefit from the fish oil begins to deteriorate over time as the body becomes to overcome the benefits.

That research was about JRA and joint pain/damage... I guess you only half listen to me! Or maybe I just spew too much research at you everynight...:p;) (so many diseases so little time...:rolleyes:)

This study was very interesting, and from a very reliable source. I'm sooo getting some fish oil for Brenden! He takes good vitamins, but he hates fish. I need to call our Endo in Denver and see if he can be involved in this study after his antibody results come back.

[oskar]

Emma's mom if you look back at the previous thread ADHD and omega 3, I suspect that the fishoil/omega 3 would be pharmaceutical quality which is available but a little expensive. Please post and let us know what happens with Brendan's endo. Good luck with this, I hope he is accepted on the study. When we did a quick count at our hospital support group we had Mum with rheumatoid arthritis, Coeliac Dad, asthma , hayfever, psoriasis - basically all of the autuimmune conditions/ allergies. Glad your children had a good weekend/ sleepover recently.
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