Thursday, January 26, 2006
Omega-3 fatty acids may not prevent cancer
Omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to do so much good in so many areas that there had to be something they weren't good at-Omega-3 fatty acids probably do not help prevent any type of cancer, according to a review that evaluated every cited study looking into the question.
"Taking dietary supplements or regularly consuming fish doesn't appear to reduce the risk of developing cancer," says Catherine MacLean, of RAND Health in Santa Monica, California, US, who led the study.
Omega-3 fatty acids are a type of polyunsaturated fat, one of four types of fat the body derives from food. Omega-3 comes in three forms - EPA, DHA and ALA - and they appear to do different things. EPA and DHA come from foods like salmon, fresh tuna and a few plants - or from supplements - and have been most associated with health benefits. ALA, on the other hand, which you can get from flax, walnuts, and enriched soy milks, has to be converted into one of the other two within the body to be beneficial.
Technorati tag: Omega-3, fatty acids
posted by I at 12:28 pm
