Relationship between serum concentrations of saturated fatty acids and unsaturated fatty acids and the homeostasis model insulin resistance index in Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus

Background : Consumption of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) improves the lipid me- tabolism of diabetics, leading to prevents of arteriosclerosis. Exact relationship between saturated fatty acids (SFA) or PUFA and the insulin resistance of diabetics are unknown. Subjects and Methods : We investigated the relationship between the serum concentra- tions of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids and the homeostasis model insulin resis- tance index (HOMA-R) in Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Results : The SFA, i.e., lauric acid, myristic acid, palmitic acid, and stearic acid ; the monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA), i.e., palmitoleic acid, oleic acid, and erucic acid ; and the PUFA, i.e., eicosadienoic acid, dihomo-γ-linolenic acid, docosatetraenoic acid, and docosapentaenoic acid were positively correlated with HOMA-R. However, no cor- relations were found between HOMA-R and SFA, i.e., arachidic acid, behenic acid, and lignoceric acid ; the MUFA, i.e., eicosenoic acid and nervonic acid ; and the PUFA, i.e., linoleic acid, γ-linolenic acid, linolenic acid, 5-8-11 eicosatrienoic acid, arachidonic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid, and docosahexaenoic acid. Conclusions : Some PUFA as well as SFA were positively correlated with HOMA-R. These results indicate that the intake of diet fatty acid must be well balanced in diabetic pa- tients and it is not always true to refrain from taking SFA and increase the unsaturated fatty acids in their diets. J. Med. Invest. 54 : 243-247, August, 2007