High levels of healthy fats may protect against cancer, new research suggests

A diet rich in healthy fats can protect against cancer, according to a new study from the University of Georgia, which adds to other previous evidence, reports News.ro.

Fish oil supplements can help protect against the overall risk of cancer. In addition to lowering cholesterol, keeping the brain healthy and improving mental health, new research from the University of Georgia (UGA) suggests that omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids may help prevent a number of cancers.

Published in International Journal of Cancerthe study was established 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 cancer.

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

Participants with higher omega-3 levels had lower rates of colon, stomach and lung cancer, as well as lower rates of other types of digestive tract cancer.

High levels of omega-6 led to lower levels of 14 different types of cancer, including brain, malignant melanoma, bladder and others.

Healthy fats reduce the risk of 19 types of cancer

The study was based on data from a study conducted in the United Kingdom of a sample of more than 250,000 people who were followed for more than ten years. Of these participants, nearly 30,000 developed some type of cancer during the study period.

Some previous research has established links between fatty acid levels and cancer risk. However, no study has been able to determine for sure whether omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids reduce cancer rates or increase the likelihood of survival if cancer is diagnosed.

It is important to remember that the benefits of high levels of fatty acids were independent of other risk factors such as Body Mass Index (BMI), alcohol consumption or physical activity.

Fish oil supplements come with several health benefits

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

But most of these foods may not eat enough to reach the recommended amounts.

That’s why many people are turning to fish oil products. These are one of the most popular diet pills on the market and rightfully so.

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

But these popular fish oil products are not for everyone, alert the researchers.

In the current study, for example, researchers found that high levels of omega-3 may be associated with a slightly higher risk of prostate cancer. The protective effect of omega-6 was stronger in younger participants, especially in women.

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

Previous research has shown that omega-3 pills can help reduce cholesterol and the risk of heart disease.

But exactly how these fatty acids fight cancer, researchers are not entirely sure, but they suspect that omega-3s and omega-6s may help regulate inflammation and cell growth in the body – two a key process that can go wrong in cancer. More research is needed to identify the mechanisms at play.

In the meantime, experts recommend adding more salmon, walnuts and flaxseeds to your diet. The heart, the brain and maybe even cancer risk you may have to win.