Fish Oil and Infants: How this Vitamin may Help Treat Insulin Disease

A recent study shows how fish oil could potentially help treat congenital hyperinsulinism, a deadly disease found in babies in which there is too much insulin in their blood. 

As it stands, researchers estimate that rare disorder affects approximately 1 in 50,000 children throughout the United Kingdom. As the disease creates low levels of insulin found in the blood, low blood sugar in newborns could damage their brains or even cause disabilities, according to background information from the findings.

"Although we didn't see enormous changes in our patients during the research, the effects were small but positive. It is important for all babies with congenital hyperinsulinism because it is a condition which is so difficult to treat," researcher Dr. Karen Cosgrove, from The University of Manchester's Faculty of Life Sciences who helped to carry out the new study. "Our findings are paving the way for further research into how newer treatments can help to stabilize blood sugar levels in babies with congenital hyperinsulinism," said Dr. Mars Skae, Consultant in Paediatric Endocrinology at Royal Manchester Children's Hospital, via a press release.

"The current medical treatment for children with congenital hyperinsulinism has been quite limited. The addition of this fish oil supplement may be a simple but effective way of treating low blood sugars in many children with this difficult condition" Dr.Indi Banerjee, Consultant in Pediatric Endocrinology at Royal Manchester Children's Hospital and clinical lead for NORCHI, concluded.

What do you think?

More information regarding the study can be found via the journal Frontiers in Endocrinology.