Wellness enthusiasts always seem to be going on about omega-3 fatty acids. The anti-inflammatory properties of this compound, found naturally in oily fish, are widely believed to protect your well-being against heart attacks, strokes, arthritis and various cancers, but a new study has called the benefits of omega-3s into question.
A team from Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Centre in Seattle has reported that, if you’re a man with high levels of omega-3 in your blood, you’re 43% more likely to have prostate cancer, and 71% more likely to have aggressive “high-grade” tumors than those not taking supplements. In Britain alone, high street sales of omega-3 supplements are estimated to reach £116 million each year, making it one of the most popular supplements to take in this country.
For the study, which was published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, the researchers compared blood samples from 834 prostate cancer patient against 1,393 healthy controls. While the researchers were unclear as to why omega-3 supplements increased the risk of prostate cancer, they surmised that the effect could be related to how your body converts fatty acids into compounds that damage cells and DNA, and suppress the immune system. The researchers also didn’t look at how exactly omega-3 might affect your progression of prostate cancer, if you already have the disease. Still, according to Dr Alan Kristal, senior author of the paper, “We’ve shown once again that use of nutritional supplements may be harmful.”
Dr Iain Frame, Director of Research at Prostate Cancer UK commented, “Omega 3, such as is found in oily fish, has been the focus of a large amount of research in recent years, the majority of which points to it having wide ranging health benefits when eaten as part of a balanced diet. Therefore we would not encourage any man to change their diet as a result of this study, but to speak to their doctor if they have any concerns about prostate cancer.” Sarah Williams, health information officer at Cancer Research UK, added, “The evidence as to whether omega 3 fats affect prostate cancer risk is mixed and unfortunately this study doesn’t resolve the debate. Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers, and the risk increases as men get older.”
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