Nutr Rev. 2026 Jul 24:nuag105. doi: 10.1093/nutrit/nuag105. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
CONTEXT: Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) have demonstrated metabolic benefits in several populations; however, their efficacy in type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1D) is not well established.
OBJECTIVE: The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to assess the efficacy of omega-3 PUFAs supplementation on the lipid and glycemic profile in T1D.
DATA SOURCES: A systematic search was conducted in Medline, Scopus, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library, from inception to June 2026.
DATA EXTRACTION: Studies evaluating the effect of omega-3 PUFA supplementation on total cholesterol (TC), low- and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C and HDL-C), triglycerides, fasting plasma glucose (FPG), and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) were included. Random-effects meta-analyses of randomized clinical trials (RCTs) and of the pre-post effect of a single intervention arm were performed separately. Heterogeneity was assessed using the I2 statistic.
DATA ANALYSIS: Eighteen studies were included. In the RCTs, omega-3 PUFA supplementation increased HDL-C by 4.47 mg/dL (95% CI, 0.07 to 8.86) with an I2 of 64.87%, and decreased triglycerides by 9.49 mg/dL (95% CI, 16.60 to -2.38) with an I2 of 29.83%. There was no effect on the other outcomes, including TC, LDL-C, FPG, and HbA1c. Finally, the effect on the meta-analyses of pre-post studies was similar to that found in the RCTs.
CONCLUSIONS: Although omega-3 supplementation has been associated with modest improvements in lipid levels in people with T1D, the results are statistically fragile. No glycemic benefits were observed. Future RCTs focusing on hard cardiovascular outcomes and standardized protocols are necessary to determine the clinical efficacy of omega-3 supplementation beyond surrogate metabolic markers.
SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: PROSPERO registration No. [CRD420261297164].
PMID:42497400 | DOI:10.1093/nutrit/nuag105
