We already know that Omega-3 and -6 fatty acids are special. They’ve been proven to help lower cho-lesterol, keep your brain healthy and improve mental health. Now there’s evidence that they can also help prevent certain common cancers…
Is there anything they can’t do? Probably. But we’re here today to report more GOOD news about Omega-3 and -6 fatty acids. Researchers at the University of Georgia (US) have uncovered evidence that Omega-3s and -6s can reduce the risk of lung and several digestive tract cancers…
A breakthrough?
It may depend on how strong a dose of these highly bio-active compounds is need to achieve the desired results… But the power of computers to crunch huge amounts of data has once again re-vealed an essential association – this time, between Omegas and several common cancers – 19 in all!
What they did
Researchers set up a data-mining operation to analyse info from more than 250,000 participants in the UK over a period of 10 years. Of those participants, almost 30,000 developed some form of cancer during the study period.
Distinct connections were found between Omega fatty acids and the risk of developing or surviving a wide range of common cancers.
What they found
Participants with higher levels of Omega-3s had lower rates of colon, stomach and lung cancer, in addition to lower rates of other digestive tract cancers.
High Omega-6 levels led to lower rates of 14 different cancers, including brain, malignant melanoma, bladder and more.
The takeaway
“These findings suggest that the average person should focus on getting more of these fatty acids in their diets,” saiys Yuchen Zhang, lead author of the study.
“For women, it’s an easy decision: Eat more omega-3[s],” said Kaixiong Ye, corresponding author of the study, added. However, it’s a different story for men, who can face a ‘slightly’ higher risk of de-veloping prostate cancer if exposed to high ‘doses’ of Omega-6s.
My take
Most folks can get more Omegas by eating more fish and seafood. Fatty varieties such as salmon, particularly. But there are also fish oil supplements on the market that deliver the same benefits.
So… It sounds like an easy fix: No special meds needed. And you can avoid the high cost of fish and seafood by opting for the oil supplements.
Guys: Sounds as though, as long as there’s no history of prostate cancer in your family, you might want to opt for SOME Omega-3 supplementation. Either way, DO get yourself some Omega-6s…
~ Maggie J.