Fish Oil Slashes Breast Cancer Risk

February 26, 2009

If you’re concerned about breast cancer, and especially if you have fibrocystic breasts, you’ll want to make sure you are getting plenty of fish oil.

In a recent study, women who had the highest blood levels of EPA, a component of fish oil, had less than half the risk of having fibrocystic breasts, and were about half as likely to have breast cancer.

Fibrocystic breast disease refers to benign (noncancerous) changes in the breast tissue. The term “disease” is somewhat misleading, as the condition is so common that many health care providers consider these changes to be just a variation of what is normal.

About 60% of women are told they have fibrocystic breasts at some point in their lives. It’s important to know what type you have. Nonproliferative fibrocystic conditions, the most common type, do not increase your risk for breast cancer. However, proliferative fibrocystic conditions do increase your risk, up to four-fold. The greatest risk is in women with atypical cells, diagnosed by a biopsy of breast tissue.

The researchers conclude: “Our results support a protective effect of omega-3 fatty acid intake…against benign fibrocystic breast changes and the progression of proliferative changes to breast cancer.”

Some previous research found that total fat intake didn’t seem to play much of a role in breast cancer risk. That’s what led researchers to start looking at the types of fat women eat. This study is good proof that women need to get more of the omega-3 fats that reduce inflammation and less of the fats that increase it: saturated fats, trans-fats, omega-6 fats, found in vegetable oils like corn and soybean oil, and palmitic oil (found in palm oil and in butter, dairy and meat). Processed bakery goods, even supposedly healthy items, also have high amounts of these “bad” fats. The same dietary advice goes for men concerned about prostate cancer.

The Anti-Aging Bottom Line: 1 in 8 women are diagnosed with breast cancer at some point during their life. More and more, research is showing that a woman may be able to reduce her risk and improve overall breast health by paying attention to dietary factors like omega-3 fatty acid intake and by taking supplements like fish oil. In addition to its breast health benefits, fish oil has been proven by extensive clinical research to have a wide range of health benefits, making it a MUST for both women and men.