Quote:
Originally Posted by Idiopathic PN
I take Omega 3 regularly. But, there was an article, and there was even a long discussion over NPR on the same topic, that Omega 3 may cause prostate cancer. My hubby stopped taking Vitamin E and now the Omega 3 as he has prostate issues  . |
I have not yet checked the archives to see if this has been discussed before, but I expect this is going to cause a LOT of confusion. In addition to prostate issues, does he have heart issues? Cognitive issues? If so, which is/are greater? (Rhetorical questions!
)
From:
Medical News Today: Omega 3 fish oils linked to prostate cancer risk:
Quote:
Dr. Iain Frame, director of research at Prostate Cancer UK, says men reading about the results of this research should not panic about their omega-3 intake. Dr. Frame says: "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..."
"Much larger and more complex studies will need to take place before we will fully understand how the risks of a diet high in Omega 3 balance against those benefits."
Dr. Frame adds:
Quote:
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"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."
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Following is just
one article that raises
numerous excellent, valid doubts/questions about this most recent study and findings.
IMO this article is worthwhile perusing.
Recent Study Implicates Omega-3 Fatty Acids in Prostate Cancer: Is This Reliable Information?
It concludes:
Quote:
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For optimal health (including cancer protection), we require the complete composition of the nutrient-dense (nutritarian) diet that supplies us with optimal amounts of all valuable nutrients and phytochemicals. Avoiding deficiencies is critical, but it is important to avoid excesses too. Omega-3 fatty acids are essential nutrients that we must get from our diets because our bodies cannot make them; they are crucial for early brain development, and there is much evidence that they promote cardiovascular health and cognitive function. (22, 23) Note also that higher omega-3 blood levels have been associated with reduced risk of death from all causes. (24) Avoiding supplemental omega-3s is not the appropriate response to this new study. This is especially critical because we all convert short chain omega-3 (ALA) into long chain omega-3 (DHA) differently, and if you are one of those poor converters, the lack of DHA in your diet can turn out to be devastating to you in later life. Many vegans are gambling with their future cognitive health to uphold a philosophical viewpoint, because once you develop a neurological or cognitive deficit in later life, it will be too late to try to fix a deficiency that could have caused it.
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Emphasis mine)
I would encourage anyone to look into this further, if they haven't already. It appears that it may not be the omega 3s that are the culprit, but the (potentially tainted) fish oil source. There are many alternative sources of omega 3s.
Doc