Ask the Diabetes Educator Archive

Q:
You mentioned fish oil capsules for diabetics in one answer, but in another about nephropathy you said to decrease animal fat. Does that include the fish oil capsules? Also, what specific vitamins/mineral supplements are recommended for people with diabetic nephropathy?

A:
By all means continue with the fish oil capsules as they function very differently than doses of animal fats. With nephropathy, we often have to increase fats for calorie intake, as protein is more restricted. This is when an inclusion of dried beans, avocados, nut butters and other plant-based sources of protein and fats are particularly good food choices. As for supplements, a comprehensive hypoallergenic multivitamin (no dyes, fillers, etc.), is a good start. There are several vitamin/mineral/herbs that have been researched for lowering blood glucose, and improved cardiovascular functioning. These can be found in our booklet available on this site, Diabetes Management: The Basics and Beyond. The ideal for you would be to find a nutritionist in your area who can individualize a program for you, to include appropriate supplementation once a base food intake has been established.