The Effect of n-3 Fatty Acids and Fish on Glucose and Lipid Metabolism in Subjects With Impaired Glucose Metabolism

University of Eastern Finland

Status: Completed

Conditions: Hyperglycemia

Treatments: Behavioral: Alpha-linolenic acid; Behavioral: Lean Fish; Behavioral: Control; Behavioral: Fatty fish

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT01768429

ALFAKALA

Details and patient eligibility

About

The aim of the project is to examine whether the sources of n-3 fatty acids and fish itself differ in their effects on glucose metabolism, lipid metabolism, blood pressure, and serum inflammatory markers. Lipidomic profiles and gene expression will be used for thorough assessment of the possible clinical changes. The study will compare the effects of alpha-linolenic acid containing vegetable oil, fatty fish, lean fish and control diet. The results of this project will help to identify the optimal source of n-3 fatty acids, and reveal the significance of the components of fish other than fatty acids. These data will be useful both nationally and internationally, since highly controlled dietary interventions utilizing new methodology are scarce.

Enrollment: 79 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 40 to 70 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• age 40-70 years
• BMI 25-32 kg/m2
• fasting plasma glucose 5.6-7.0 mmol/l
• 2 h plasma glucose in oral glucose tolerance test <=11 mmol/l
• fasting serum total cholesterol <=7 mmol/l
• fasting serum LDL cholesterol <=5 mmol/l
• fasting serum triglycerides <=4 mmol/l

Exclusion criteria

• any chronic disease or condition that hamper the ability to follow dietary intervention
• chronic liver, thyroid or kidney disease
• alcohol abuse
• diabetes
• recent weight loss
• recent myocardial infarction
• corticosteroid therapy
• psychiatric disorders which need drug treatment
• cancer under treatment
• fish allergy or other extensive food allergies
• exceptional diets (like Atkin's or vegan diet)

Trial design

79 participants in 4 patient groups

Fatty fish

Experimental group

Description:

Four fatty fish meals per week

Treatment:

Behavioral: Fatty fish

Lean Fish

Experimental group

Description:

Four lean fish meals per week

Treatment:

Behavioral: Lean Fish

Alpha-linolenic acid

Experimental group

Description:

10 g of alpha-linolenic acid daily from camelina sativa oil

Treatment:

Behavioral: Alpha-linolenic acid

Control diet

Experimental group

Description:

Limited fish and alpha-linolenic acid intake

Treatment:

Behavioral: Control