Does Fish Oil Cause Prostate Cancer

If You Dont Like Fish

Of course, not everyone is wild about fish. In this case, they may consider taking fish oil supplements. You might be amazed to learn the variety of conditions for which people take capsules of fish oil. The most well-known include

• Reduce triglycerides
• Lessen risk of heart attack and stroke
• Slow down development of plaque in arteries
• Reduce the chance of abnormal heart rhythm

Clearly, fish oils strong suit is promoting cardiovascular health. But theres more. People also use fish oil for certain kidney ailments and kidney disease, eye problems like glaucoma and macular degeneration, gastrointestinal problems such as Crohns disease or inflammatory bowel syndrome, athletic performance improvement and muscle soreness after exercise, and many more conditions. With all those benefits, you may wonder, what about fish oil and prostate health?

Traditional Diets In Japan And The Mediterranean Region High In Fish Are Protective Against Prostate Cancer

The results set forth by authors of the negative report on fish oil that omega-3 intake may be linked to prostate cancer are inconsistent, and in abject contrast, to longstanding evidence that diets high in marine lipids, such as the traditional Japanese diet and the Mediterranean diet, are protective against prostate cancer.

For example, the traditional Japanese diet, rich in omega-3 fatty acids from fish, confers protection against prostate cancer, as does the relatively high intake of fermented soy products and relatively low levels of saturated fat.45 The characteristics of the traditional Japanese diet high in soybean products, high in fish, and low in red meat are highly relevant in prostate cancer biology. In all likelihood, the traditional Japanese diet reduces the risk of prostate cancer through a combination of characteristics that generate a synergistic, anti-cancer effect .

Likewise, the protective properties of the Mediterranean diet in relation to heart disease and prostate cancer risk are well-established. Several aspects of this dietary pattern are protective, including regular consumption of small fish , high olive oil intake , high daily ingestion of fresh vegetables, whole fruits , high-fiber cereals and legumes, and low intake of saturated animal fats and red meat.46

Why You Should Take Krill Oil

The only problem is that a lot of Omega 3 supplements tend to use low-quality fish oils. These can become rancid and cause indigestion. Although they might be cheaper, they are less effective.

Krill Oil is, without a doubt, the best and most effective means of getting your dose of Omega 3. Its more potent, sourced from clean waters, meaning its unpolluted and more bioavailable.

If 70% of your fatty acid intake is not from Omega 3, you will suffer from high cholesterol levels, a higher risk of cancer, and even cardiovascular problems down the line. So finding a potent and effectively absorbed source of omega 3 is an integral part of your dietary supplements.

My Wild Antarctic Krill Oil is sourced from pure and unpolluted waters and as a result, does not need any processing, meaning it is Pure, Natural and Virgin pretty much its the best money can buy.

To find out more about my Wild Antarctic Krill Oil, .

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Sexual Health And Fertility

Although not widely reported, fish oil supplements may have benefits for sexual health and fertility.

A 2017 animal study examined the effects of omega-3 fatty acids and erectile dysfunction due to atherosclerosis. In this condition, the blood vessels narrow, which can affect erections. Rats in the treatment group fed omega-3 fatty acids demonstrated significantly improved erection quality.

It is essential to bear in mind that animal studies do not indicate the same results in humans. However, an earlier review also indicates that omega-3 could help men with erectile function.

In a 2020 study of 1,694 young male participants, those who reported using fish oil supplements had larger testes and higher semen volume and quality.

They also had a healthier-looking profile of follicle-stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone. These are two key hormones that regulate sperm production.

Although the study cannot conclude that the fish oil is causing the improvement, it suggests that it may play a role.

Results Are Completely Inconsistent With The Known Biology Pathophysiology And Biochemistry Of Prostate Cancer

A fundamental aspect of quality research is consistency, and repeatability.

Stated another way, for a medical finding to be considered valid, the results should not contradict well-established facts involving known biology, physiology, biochemistry, etc. Furthermore, the finding should be repeatable by other scientists.

The report attacking omega-3s is inconsistent with a variety of aspects of the well-established scientific and medical literature.

For example, upon close inspection of the data , non-smokers had more aggressive prostate cancer, and non-drinkers had higher risk of prostate cancer, and prostate cancer case subjects were less likely to report a history of diabetes than controls.

Based upon these results, the implication is that men who wish to avoid prostate cancer should consume excess calories and develop diabetes, drink alcohol heavily, and abuse tobacco.

This is completely inconsistent with well-established science, and utter nonsense.

In fact, numerous scientific studies show fish oil omega-3 fatty acids offer significant protective benefit for prostate health.

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Fish Oil Increases Risk Of Prostate Cancer

A new study has been making its rounds online that suggests a connection between omega-3 fats and prostate cancer risk. Since fish oil is an enriched source of omega-3 fats, many have taken this study to mean that fish oil causes prostate cancer. Is this true, or possibly just another case of the research literature being sensationalized in the popular media in a grab for headlines? Let us examine.

The study in question is one that appears to be a study based off of the SELECT trials which initially did not find a protective effect of supplementation on prostate cancer, but say an increased risk associated with vitamin E occurred during prolonged follow-up. This led to the current study.

A new study found that fish oil supplementation is associated with increased risk for increased prostate cancer. The study was a observational, and used participants from a previous large scale intervention called SELECT.

Baseline Psa Higher In Those Who Contracted Prostate Cancer

Prostate specific antigen is a blood marker of prostate disease.

Standard laboratory reference ranges often allow PSA to reach 4.0 ng/mL before flagging a potential problem. A more progressive view of the PSA is that any number over 2.4 ng/mL should be viewed with suspicion, with a digital rectal exam performed and a follow-up PSA blood test done in three months.

Life Extension has published comprehensive articles about how to properly interpret PSA results, but to state it succinctly: Aging men with PSA readings greater than 2.4 ng/mL are at higher risk for developing clinically relevant prostate cancer and should initiate aggressive steps to reverse the underlying process.

In the report that associated higher omega-3 blood levels with increased prostate cancer incidence, 41.1% of the men who went on to develop prostate cancer had baseline PSA readings greater than 3.0 ng/mL. In the group that did not develop prostate cancer, only 7.3% has a PSA baseline reading greater than 3.0 ng/mL.

• 7.3% of the No Cancer group had PSA of 3.0
• 41.1% of the Total Cancer group had PSA of 3.0

This critical piece of data was ignored in the tabloid-like media articles that erroneously blamed the increase in prostate cancer on omega-3s.

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Study Subjects Do Not Appear To Have Taken Fish Oil Supplements

Life Extension scientists repeatedly reached out to the authors of the negative report, but did not receive a response as to whether any attempt was made to ascertain the source of the omega-3 in the study subjects blood. We wanted to know if these men regularly ate cold-water fish or took at least some fish oil supplements.

Despite our requests, no clarification was made available by study authors as to the level of dietary supplementation with fish oil, and if so, the source of fish oil used in the study.

Based upon the very low plasma percentage levels of omega-3 fatty acids detected in the study, the implication is that dietary supplementation with fish oil likely did not occur. Instead, based upon the low levels of omega-3 plasma phospholipids detected, the source appears to have been primarily diet only. As we will show soon, it appears that none of the men in this study consumed much in the way of cold-water fish either.

Additional Studies Indicate Substantial Benefit With Increased Intake Of Omega

The report attacking omega-3s conflicts with prior studies demonstrating that increased intake of omega-3 fats has been shown to reduce prostate cancer risk and diets high in omega-6 fats are associated with greater risk. The analysis also suggests a relationship between increased omega-6 fatty acid levels and decreased risk of prostate cancer, which is, again, utterly inconsistent with the known pro-inflammatory effects of omega-6 fatty acids.

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What You Can Do Now

Although fish oil is considered beneficial for your overall health, it isnt clear what kind of effect it may have on your prostate. Consult with your doctor before adding fish oil to your regimen.

Be sure to mention any family cancer history. This information will help your doctor determine whats best for your health profile.

If you decide to try fish oil, remember:

• The omega-3 fatty acids are what provide the health benefits.
• An average dose of omega-3s is 500 milligrams.
• A typical dose of fish oil may not provide the recommended amount of omega-3s.

Prostate Cancer Risk And Omega

It is generally reassuring when we read health advice that contains a clear message, especially when the advice involves something pleasurable. For instance, eat dark chocolate, and wash it down with red wine . But confusion and consternation abound when research produces a mixed message that seems contrary to previous advice. After years of hearing that eating fatty fish or taking fish oil supplements was good for the heart, the eyes, and even mood, the public was puzzled this summer by a study that suggested a risk of prostate cancer in men with high levels of omega-3 fatty acids obtained from these sources.

Although conclusions in research are subject to change, in this instance, investigators not connected to the fish oil study complained that the headline-hungry media did not cover all of the facts. They also charged that the headlines were potentially harmful and that the findings were tainted by overreach. A closer look at the study is warranted.

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Fish And Prostate Cancer Risk: Fact Or Fiction

Several scientific studies have found a reduction in prostate cancer associated with increased omega-3intake.1-11A recent report purportedly showed the opposite.12

This report was based on a single blood test of plasma fatty acids in a group of 834 men who were followed up to six years to assess prostate cancer risk . A smaller group of 75 men was followed up to nine years to assess only high-grade prostate cancer risk.

The results showed that slightly higher omega-3 plasma percentages from this single blood test were associated with a greater risk of low-grade and high-grade prostate cancers over the multi-year follow-up.

This report was turned into news stories with headlines blaring Omega-3 fatty acids may raise prostate cancer risk.

Omitted from the media frenzy was the fact that this study was not about fish oil supplement users. The authors admitted they did not know how the study participants achieved what turned out to be very low omega-3 plasma percentages in all groups.

In fact, omega-3 plasma levels were only about 40% of what would be expected in health conscious people taking the proper dose of fish oil.12,13 The insufficient levels of plasma omega-3s in all the study subjects were overlooked by the media. Had these very low plasma levels of omega-3s been recognized, it would have been apparent that this report had no meaning for those who boost their omega-3 consumption through diet and supplements.

Too Much Fish Oil Might Boost Prostate Cancer Risk

Often-fatal aggressive disease of particular concern

HealthDay Reporter

WEDNESDAY, July 10 — Eating a lot of oily fish or taking potent fish oil supplements may increase a man’s risk of developing prostate cancer, new research suggests.

Moreover, marine sources of omega-3 fatty acids may also raise the risk for aggressive prostate cancer, according to the study by scientists at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle.

“These anti-inflammatory omega-3s were associated with a 43 percent increased risk for prostate cancer overall, and a 71 percent increased risk in aggressive prostate cancer,” said study lead author Theodore Brasky, a research assistant professor at Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center in Columbus, who was at Hutchinson at the time of the study.

Aggressive prostatecancer is often fatal, he added.

Omega-3 fatty acids, found in fish such as salmon, trout and fresh tuna and in fish oil capsules, are widely reputed to have health benefits because of their anti-inflammatory properties.

But this new research, published online July 11 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, confirms damaging evidence reported in two prior studies.

Just why are these omega-3 fatty acids associated with prostate cancer? “That’s the million dollar question,” Brasky said.

Oxidative stress plays a role in other cancers, Brasky said.

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Could It Be Fish Oil And Not Fish Thats To Blame

Omega-3s have anti-inflammatory effects, and thats part of the reason they have been seen as dietary good guys and possibly having an anticancer effect. Why they might have a dark side that increases prostate cancer risk is anybodys guess.

One important point to keep in mind, though, is that there may be a difference between eating fish and taking fish-oil supplements. Over and over again, nutrition research has shown that diets full of food and drink that supply vitamins, minerals, and healthful fats are correlated with good health, whereas studies of supplements that try to isolate what are believed to be the healthful constituents of the food have consistently been disappointing.

Just to be clear: this latest study correlated blood levels of omega-3 fats to prostate cancer. It wasnt able to prove that omega-3 fats cause prostate cancer, nor did it go into how those blood levels came about and whether men with high blood levels were big fish eaters, took fish-oil supplements, or both.

We like what our colleague, Dr. Howard Lewine, chief medical editor for Internet publishing for Harvard Health Publishing, wrote about the Fred Hutchinson research:

Peter Wehrwein is a freelance writer and editor.

Prostate Cancer: Six Things Men Should Know About Tomatoes Fish Oil Vitamin Supplements Testosterone Psa Tests

SEATTLE â Aug. 22, 2012 â When it comes to prostate cancer, thereâs a lot of confusion about how to prevent it, find it early and the best way â or even whether â to treat it. Below are six common prostate cancer myths along with research-based information from scientists at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center to help men separate fact from fiction.

Myth 1 â Eating tomato-based products such as ketchup and red pasta sauce prevents prostate cancer. âThe vast majority of studies show no association,â said Alan Kristal, Dr.P.H., associate director of the Hutchinson Centerâs Cancer Prevention Program and a national expert in prostate cancer prevention. Kristal and colleagues last year published results of the largest study to date that aimed to determine whether foods that contain lycopene â the nutrient that puts the red in tomatoes â actually protect against prostate cancer.

After examining blood levels of lycopene in nearly 3,500 men nationwide they found no association. âScientists and the public should understand that early studies supporting an association of dietary lycopene with reduced prostate cancer risk have not been replicated in studies using serum biomarkers of lycopene intake,â the authors reported in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention. âRecommendations of professional societies to the public should be modified to reflect the likelihood that increasing lycopene intake will not affect prostate cancer risk.â

# # #

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Will This Flawed Report Prompt An Epidemic Of Prostate Cancer

Regrettably, the public is poorly served by relying on a sound-bite frenzied news media for health data, which often involves parading a provocative medical headline without a deep, thorough evaluation of the studys validity.

This science by ambush denies an opportunity for meaningful rebuttal, since the media never wants to admit last weeks headline news story was bogus.

The average percentage difference of plasma long-chain omega-3 fatty acids from a single baseline test renders this study meaningless. The authors dont even know if their study subjects were eating fish or taking fish oil supplements. We at Life Extension have criticized certain studies that solely rely on food questionnaires, but this attack on omega-3s didnt even attempt to ascertain if study subjects were ingesting the nutrient in question. Yet its authors presumptuously warn of potential risks in consuming supplemental omega-3s!

The lack of rigor, as well as multiple layers of methodological problems and errors, notwithstanding the complete lack of consistency with the known, well-established biology and biochemistry of prostate cancer should prompt outrage in the scientific and medical community.

The danger of this deeply flawed, compromised analysis is that aging men obtaining health information through the mainstream media will cease omega-3 fatty acid ingestion.

Educated health consumers should continue to ingest omega-3 fatty acids.

Not Really A Fish Oil Study

The acronym SELECT in this study referred to the Selenium and Vitamin E Cancer Prevention Trial. The SELECT study wasnt originally a study of fish oil, or omega-3 essential fatty acids, at all.

Only after the fact researchers noted some peculiarities in the risk of developing prostate cancer in men who had the highest bloodstream concentrations of omega-3 essential fatty acids.

And because the scientists measured omega-3s such as DHA and EPA in the bloodstream, they did not have any way of knowing whether those essential fatty acids got into the bloodstream as the result of taking fish oil supplements or not.

After all, Seattle is famous for its seafood, especially salmon. Maybe men in the study just happened to eat a lot of salmon.

Or maybe they didnt. The scientists did not collect data Or maybe the real problem is some ocean-borne contamination, such as mercury or other heavy metals, that has found its way into fish eaten in Seattle.

The scientists did not collect data. Or maybe the findings could be explained by smoking, obesity, stress or genetics.

Again, the scientists did not make an effort to find out. They just found that higher levels of omega-3 essential fatty acids were associated with higher risk of prostate cancer in this particular group of men.

Could there be another explanation?

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