Omega-3s and Omega-6s Could Protect Against Cancer, According to New Study
Up until now, there have been plenty of reasons to pack your diet with omegas. Brain function, mental health and steady cholesterol levels all rely on you maintaining hearty servings of salmon, sardines, mackerel and other oily fish, as well as nuts and seeds.
The NHS currently recommends one serving a week (around 140g of cooked oily fish) to help us pack in our omega-3s. Most of us don’t get enough though, with some studies finding just 2% of people have levels within the recommended optimal range.
Those low levels mean we could be losing out on big health benefits – and a new study has raised even more cause for concern by adding cancer protection to the long list of good-for-you things omegas can do. In fact, researchers behind the study, from the University of Georgia, found that high levels of omega-3 and omega-6 reduce the risk of developing 19 types of the disease.
There are many factors that contribute to the complex process that is developing cancer, and nutrition is just one. But the numbers on these studies are big and worth checking out to support your long term health.
The Study
Despite omegas being one of the most important dietary components and cancer being one of the leading causes of death, there hasn’t been a lot of robust research on the link.
In umbrella reviews published before now, academics had concluded “that there was no convincing evidence regarding the effects of omega-3 poly-unsaturated fatty acids on the risk of any cancer”. The team at the University of Georgia said this “showcases the limitations of existing studies” – and decided to do something about it.
Specifically, they took to the UK Biobank register and followed 250,000 participants and the levels of omega-3s and omega-6s in their blood for 10 years. In that time, almost 30,000 developed some form of cancer.
The Results
Published in the International Journal of Cancer, the study found that:
A 3.63% increase in the body’s omega-6 levels was associated with a 2% reduction in the risk of overall cancer.
A 1.55% increase in the body’s omega-3 levels was associated with a 1% reduction in the risk of overall cancer.
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.
Those with high omega-6 levels had lower rates of 14 different cancers, including brain, malignant melanoma, bladder and other site-specific cancers.
The benefits of high levels of fatty acids were not dependent on other risk factors like BMI, alcohol use or physical activity.
Prostate cancer was the only cancer associated with high omega-3 levels.
A higher omega-6/omega-3 ratio was associated with an increased risk of overall cancer.
What This Means for Us
On the whole, it means that prioritising omega intake should be one of the first steps towards bettering your health and protecting your body.
Kaixiong Ye, corresponding author of the study said, "For women, it's an easy decision: Eat more omega-3." However, the prostate risk makes it less straightforward for men, though we still don’t know enough about the link. Overall, omega-3 was also shown to have a more prominent effect in men while women were impacted more by omega-6, so it’s really important not to cut it out.
The best bet is to work on your omega ratio. Omega-6s are found in foods that are abundant in our diets, like sunflower and vegetable oils, as well as nuts and seeds, meaning we easily get enough. Omega 3s, on the other hand, are mainly found in oily fish, as well as in lower levels in some plant foods. Given the UK has some of the lowest blood levels of omega-3s in the world, topping up on omega-3s to redress the balance could boost your health.
The Bottom Line
Ensuring you get enough healthy fat in your diet is important for overall health, as well as reducing your risk of cancer. Ensure your fat comes from a variety of sources, including fish, nuts and seeds. If you’re plant based or struggle to eat your NHS-recommended once-weekly portion of fish, you can supplement omega-3 or vegan omega-3 to maintain the balance. And if you’re worried about your daily diet or health risk, speak to a registered dietitian or healthcare provider.
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