In a new study, researchers found that supplements of vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids (often sold as fish oil) do not help people with type 2 diabetes stave off chronic kidney disease.
This is the largest clinical study to date of the supplements in this patient population.
The research was conducted by a team at the University of Washington School and elsewhere.
Of the 28 million Americans who live with type 2 diabetes, de Boer said, about 40% develop chronic kidney disease, a condition in which the kidneys cannot adequately remove waste and fluid from the body.
This disrupts a person’s health in myriad ways and can progress to kidney failure. It also greatly increases the risk of cardiovascular events and death.
Previous studies have suggested that vitamin D and fish oil supplements have anti-inflammatory and other properties that might prevent or slow type 2 diabetes’ progression to chronic kidney disease.
Research also has found associations between humans’ kidney decline and lower levels of vitamin D and lower dietary intake of fish.
A lot of people use supplements hoping there are beneficial kidney and cardiovascular effects.
In the study, the team designed a five-year study of kidney function in 1,312 adults with type 2 diabetes in the trial.
The adults had no clinically apparent heart disease or cancer, and most did not start with signs of kidney disease.
They were assigned to one of four treatment groups: 370 people received supplements of vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids (fish oil); 333 received vitamin D and a fish oil placebo; 289 received a vitamin D placebo and a capsule of fish oil, and 320 received two placebos.
The team found that during the five years, kidney function declined by about 15%.
The amount of decline did not vary whether participants were assigned to vitamin D or placebo, or to omega-3 fatty acids or placebo. There were also no big differences in urine protein excretion.
The results show that vitamin D and fish oil don’t appear to be particularly effective for protecting kidney health in people with type 2 diabetes.
The lead author of the study is Dr. Ian de Boer.
The study is published in JAMA.
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