Written from the studies on PubMed, searched on 2026. nov. 11.. Every number below comes from a study listed under Sources.
What people read
Posts online say that Omega-3 fatty acids (fish oil) helps with Type 1 diabetes.
What has been studied
- 18In people16 randomised trials
- 8In animals
- 1Only in the lab
What the studies found
Omega-3 fatty acids (fish oil) has been tested in randomised trials in people with Type 1 diabetes.
We found 59 published papers on Omega-3 fatty acids (fish oil) and Type 1 diabetes. They were published between 1984 and 2026.
18 of them are studies in people (16 randomised trials), 10 are reviews, 8 are studies in animals and 1 are studies only in the lab.
The most important ones are listed under Sources.
What this means for you: A study in people is not proof that it helps you. Do not stop or change your medicines because of it. Ask your doctor before you start taking it.
Sources
- Exploring the causal effect of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid levels on the risk of type 1 diabetes: a Mendelian randomization study.2024 · Front Genet · Randomised trial
- Omega-3 fatty acids supplementation improves early-stage diabetic nephropathy and subclinical atherosclerosis in pediatric patients with type 1 diabetes: A randomized controlled trial.2023 · Clin Nutr · Randomised trial
- Effects of omega-3 supplementation on endothelial function, vascular structure, and metabolic parameters in adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus: A randomized clinical trial.2022 · Front Nutr · Randomised trial
- Study protocol of a randomized controlled clinical trial investigating the effects of omega-3 supplementation on endothelial function, vascular structure, and metabolic parameters in adolescents with type 1 diabetes.2021 · Trials · Randomised trial
- Investigating the Neuroprotective Effect of Oral Omega-3 Fatty Acid Supplementation in Type 1 Diabetes (nPROOFS1): A Randomized Placebo-Controlled Trial.2021 · Diabetes · Randomised trial
- Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid supplementation versus placebo on vascular health, glycaemic control, and metabolic parameters in people with type 1 diabetes: a randomised controlled preliminary trial.2020 · Cardiovasc Diabetol · Randomised trial
- Effect of eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid supplementation on C-peptide preservation in pregnant women with type-1 diabetes: randomized placebo controlled clinical trial.2017 · Eur J Clin Nutr · Randomised trial
- Effect of docosahexaenoic acid supplementation on inflammatory cytokine levels in infants at high genetic risk for type 1 diabetes.2015 · Pediatr Diabetes · Randomised trial
- Blood omega-3 biomarkers, diabetic retinopathy and retinal vessel status in patients with type 1 diabetes.2025 · Eye (Lond) · Study in people
- Effect of omega-3 supplementation on neuropathy in type 1 diabetes: A 12-month pilot trial.2017 · Neurology · Study in people
- Efficacy of Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid Supplementation on the Lipid and Glycemic Profile in Type 1 Diabetes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.2026 · Nutr Rev · Review
- Omega-3 fatty acid supplementation for distal symmetrical peripheral neuropathy in adults with diabetes mellitus.2025 · Cochrane Database Syst Rev · Review
- Do Micronutrient and Omega-3 Fatty Acid Supplements Affect Human Maternal Immunity during Pregnancy? A Scoping Review.2022 · Nutrients · Review
- Vitamin D and Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids in Type 1 Diabetes Modulation.2022 · Endocr Metab Immune Disord Drug Targets · Review
- Metabolic and Metabolomic Insights Regarding the Omega-3 PUFAs Intake in Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus.2021 · Front Mol Biosci · Review
- The effects of omega-3 fatty acids on diabetic nephropathy: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.2020 · PLoS One · Review
- Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids are associated with microbiota-related 18β-glycyrrhetinic acid alterations and M2 macrophage polarization in type 1 diabetes mellitus.2026 · Front Pharmacol · In animals
- Eicosapentaenoic acid-rich oil supplementation activates PPAR-γ and delays skin wound healing in type 1 diabetic mice.2023 · Front Immunol · In animals
- A diet enriched in omega-3 PUFA and inulin prevents type 1 diabetes by restoring gut barrier integrity and immune homeostasis in NOD mice.2022 · Front Immunol · In animals
- Preventive treatment with fish oil facilitates the antidepressant-like effect of antidepressant drugs in type-1 diabetes mellitus rats: Implication of serotonergic system.2022 · Neurosci Lett · In animals
- Macrophage inflammatory state in Type 1 diabetes: triggered by NLRP3/iNOS pathway and attenuated by docosahexaenoic acid.2021 · Clin Sci (Lond) · In animals
- The Effects of Soy Milk Enriched with Lactobacillus casei and Omega-3 on the Tibia and L5 Vertebra in Diabetic Rats: a Stereological Study.2019 · Probiotics Antimicrob Proteins · In animals
- Reduction of Chemokine CXCL9 Expression by Omega-3 Fatty Acids via ADP-Ribosylhydrolase ARH3 in MIN6 Insulin-Producing Cells.2025 · Proteomics · In the lab
- A novel in vitro approach to test the effectiveness of fish oil in ameliorating type 1 diabetes.2022 · Mol Cell Biochem · Other paper
- Baseline omega-3 level is associated with nerve regeneration following 12-months of omega-3 nutrition therapy in patients with type 1 diabetes.2021 · J Diabetes Complications · Other paper
- Vitamin D and Omega 3 Field Study on Progression of Type 1 Diabetes.2019 · CellR4 Repair Replace Regen Reprogram · Other paper
- Can high-dose omega-3 fatty acids and high-dose vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) prevent type 1 diabetes and sustain preservation of beta-cell function after disease onset?2018 · CellR4 Repair Replace Regen Reprogram · Other paper