Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids and Diabetic Kidney Disease: What have We Learned so Far?

Despite various renoprotective agents, diabetic kidney disease (DKD) still progresses in some patients necessitating further novel therapeutic options. With regard to diet and healthy eating patterns, one dietary intervention for DKD is polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) supplementation yet the full scope of these this intervention is incompletely understood. In this narrative review, we summarized the literature (both experimental and clinical studies) specifically investigating the relationship between omega fatty acids and DKD. Additionally, we explored the potential molecular effects of omega fatty acids in DKD, identify knowledge gaps and put proposals for future studies.

PUFAs supplementation decreased blood pressure, total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglyceride levels, proteinuria/albuminuria and kidney injury and inflammatory markers. Furthermore, structural alterations such as tubulointerstitial fibrosis, mesangial expansion, capillary and tubular dilatation, podocyte foot process effacement, glomerular basal membrane thickening are reduced by PUFAs although some studies showed neutral effects. PUFAs supplementation is a feasible option for DKD although studies are heterogeneous but no safety signals raised. More studies are needed to understand robust relationship between PUFAs supplementation and DKD.