Fish oil supplement link to prostate cancer smells fishy
By Staff Reports on Aug 3, 2013, at 2:24 AM Updated on 8/03/13 at 2:56 AM
Health & Fitness
Dear Doctor K: I have hypertension. Should I be monitoring my blood pressure at home?
Dear Doctor K: After my last mammogram, the doctor told me I have dense breasts. Does this increase my risk of cancer?
Dear Pharmacist, What do you think about fish oil being linked to prostate cancer? I used to take it every day but stopped after hearing about it in the news. Do you still recommend it? - L.D., Miami, Fla.
My opinion is that headlines that suggest fish oils raise risk for prostate cancer are nonsense.
I hope you're sitting down. There is no evidence that anybody in this study took fish oil dietary supplements! Nowhere in the new study does it say "fish oil"; it says omega 3. In 2010, researchers evaluated ethyl esters of omega 3 fatty acids. That's actually a drug. Repeat: When you talk about "ethyl esters of omega 3s," you are talking about a patented prescription version of fish oils. It would never surprise me if scientists tied a pharmaceutical drug to higher cancer risk, but the headlines I keep reading say "fish oil." High-quality fish oils causing prostate cancer? Au contraire!
You cannot take something natural, morph it in a laboratory, patent it and expect health benefits.
The American Heart Association, the World Health Organization, the United States Institute of Medicine's Food Nutrition Board and the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans advise us to eat more fatty fish so as to obtain omega-3 fish oil benefits. Do you think those organizations are in cahoots to induce prostate cancer in the male population?
Fish oil's primary components are EPA or DHA. Tight studies show DHA is protective for the prostate. In 2001, a study of 6,000 Swedish men found that high fish consumption significantly lowered prostate cancer rates. In New Zealand, men with the highest DHA markers slashed prostate cancer risk by almost 40 percent. A Japanese study found omega 3 blood levels correlated to a reduction in prostate cancer.
So my conclusion is omega 3s derived from fatty fish and fish oil supplements are safe and healthy, especially when taken with GLA. Supplement properly - directions on how to do so are posted at my site,
tulsaworld.com/pharmacist
info@dearpharmacist.com
Health & Fitness
Dear Doctor K: I have hypertension. Should I be monitoring my blood pressure at home?
Dear Doctor K: After my last mammogram, the doctor told me I have dense breasts. Does this increase my risk of cancer?
