The Effects of Fish Oil Supplementation on Lipid Levels in Non-Hemodialysis Chronic Kidney Disease Patients

Aims: The purpose of the study was to examine the effects of a moderate dose of commercially available fish oil on lipid variables in non-hemodialysis, chronic kidney disease patients. Study Design: The study utilized a double-blind, randomized, and placebo-controlled experimental design. The experimental intervention consisted of fish oil supplementation or a safflower oil control. Place and Duration of Study: Patients (N=31) from a family medicine center with Chronic Kidney Disease were eligible for the study and followed prospectively for eight weeks. Results: ANCOVA revealed a significant difference at post-test (p=0.02; Cohen’s d=-0.58) in HDL. No significant differences at post-test for triglycerides (p=0.66; Cohen’s Research Article British Journal of Medicine & Medical Research, 3(4): 1356-1366, 2013 1357 d=0.16), total cholesterol (p=0.84; Cohen’s d=-0.04), LDL (p=0.39; Cohen’s d=0.25), total cholesterol/HDL ratio (p=0.34; Cohen’s d=0.20), and ApoB (p=0.52; Cohen’s d=0.11) were discovered. Conclusions: The results of our study suggest the consumption of 2.4 grams of combined EPA and DHA may be an effective over-the-counter nutritional intervention to increase HDL in individuals with CKD. The reasons for non-significant findings in all other cholesterol variables may be due to a dose-response relationship, the short duration of the study, the study population, or the supplements simply may not be effective in improving these variables.