High levels of omega-3 and omega-6 may protect against cancer

In addition to lowering your cholesterol, keeping your brain healthy and improving mental health, new research from the University of Georgia suggests that omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids may help ward off several types of cancer.

The study was based on data from more than 250,000 people and found that higher levels of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids were associated with a lower risk of developing cancer. The results are published in the International Journal of Cancer.

“Higher omega-3 and omega-6 levels were associated with lower cancer rates,” said Yuchen Zhang, lead author of the study and a doctoral candidate in UGA’s College of Public Health. “These findings suggest that the average person should focus on getting more of these fatty acids in their diet.”

Participants with higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids had lower rates of colon, stomach and lung cancer, in addition to lower rates of other cancers of the digestive tract.

High omega-6 levels led to lower rates of 14 different cancers, including brain, malignant melanoma, bladder and more.

Healthy fats reduce the risk of developing 19 types of cancer

The study was based on data from a British-based survey of more than 250,000 people who were followed for more than a decade. Of these participants, almost 30,000 developed some form of cancer during the study period.

Some previous studies have established links between fatty acid levels and the risk of developing cancer. However, there are no studies that can determine with certainty whether omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids reduce the risk of cancer or increase the chance of surviving a cancer diagnosis.

Importantly, the benefits of high fatty acids were not dependent on other risk factors such as BMI, alcohol consumption or physical activity.

Fish oil supplements have several health benefits

Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids are known as “healthy fats” and are essential for human health. They are present in oily fish, nuts and even some vegetable oils such as rapeseed oil.

But most Americans probably don’t eat enough of these foods to reach the recommended amounts.

That’s why many people turn to fish oil supplements. They are one of the most popular diet pills on the market, and for good reason.

Previous studies suggest that omega-3 supplements may reduce the risk of developing high cholesterol and lower the risk of heart disease.

The benefits of fish oil may not be one-size-fits-all

But the decision to take the popular fish oil pills is not one-size-fits-all.

For example, in the current study, the researchers found that high omega-3 levels may be associated with a slightly higher risk of prostate cancer.

“For women, it’s an easy decision: Eat more omega-3s,” said Kaixiong Ye, corresponding author of the study and associate professor at UGA’s Franklin College of Arts and Sciences.

The researchers also saw a stronger beneficial effect of omega-6 in younger participants, especially women.