Omega-3 fatty acids found to suppress the growth and spread of breast cancer
12/23/2018 / By Vicki Batts
Omega 3 fatty acids are highly regarded for their health benefits. Whether it’s boosting brain function, supporting joint health or keeping your skin smooth, omega 3 fats are up to the task. Studies have even shown that the fatty acids can help prevent cancer. In fact, a new study recently published by scientists from University of Nebraska Medical Center has shown that consuming omega 3 fats may inhibit the growth and spread of breast cancer cells.
Chemotherapy may be more dangerous than cancer itself, and with awareness of the cancer industry’s corruption growing, it is no wonder that skepticism of modern medicine is on the rise. Many people are turning to natural, plant-based remedies to treat their cancer after so-called conventional treatments have failed them. And with scientists now focusing in on the healing powers of plants and foods, like turmeric or cannabis, the old adage “Food is medicine,” rings especially true. The pharmaceutical industry has managed to dominate the medicine arena for decades, but will Big Pharma’s reign soon come to an end?
Omega 3s and cancer prevention
New research published in Clinical & Experimental Metastasis has shown that omega 3 fats may be effective in preventing tumor development, as well as inhibiting the spread of cancer cells to other organs. Lead study author Saraswoti Khadge, of University of Nebraska Medical Center, commented on the findings and stated, “Our study emphasizes the potential therapeutic role of dietary long-chain omega-3 fatty acids in the control of tumor growth and metastasis.”
In their research, Khadge and her team fed two cohorts of female mice a liquid diet that was nutritionally identical, except for one thing: The first group’s diet featured plant oils rich in omega-6 polyunsaturated fats, while the second group’s diet featured fish oil, rich in omega-3 fatty acids.
The team then injected them with 4T1 breast cancer cells, which cause aggressive tumor growth and are known to spread to other regions of the body quickly. Thirty-five days later, the mice were autopsied and examined.
What the team found was impressive: Mice in the omega 3 group displayed markedly reduced tumor growth compared to their omega 6-eating peers. Some of the omega-3 mice never even developed cancer at all. As Science Daily reports:
Khadge and her colleagues found the chance that the breast cancer cells would take hold in the breast glands of the adult female mice was significantly lower in those on the omega 3-diet. Tumors took significantly longer to start developing in these mice, and this had an influence on their size. After 35 days, the tumors detected in their breasts were 50 per cent smaller than those that developed in the omega 6-group. The likelihood of the cancerous cells growing and spreading to other organs in the omega-3 group was also lower and these mice survived longer than those on the omega-6 diet. Indeed some of the omega-3 fed mice appeared to never develop breast cancer.
While the findings of this study are quite impressive, it’s worth noting that some research has indicated that excessive omega 6 intake can contribute to the onset of cancer — particularly when omega 3 intake is subpar. What this study has really shown is that omega 3 fats are superior to omega 6 fats for breast cancer prevention.
As sources note, past research has shown that a diet rich in fish oil in early life can help inhibit the development and spread of cancer later in life.
In addition to these cancer-fighting properties, omega 3 fats are known for a host of other health benefits. For example, recent research has shown that omega 3 fatty acids are so effective at managing depression, they may soon replace pharmaceuticals. Studies have also shown that getting enough of these valuable nutrients is key to heart health.
Learn more about foods that fight cancer at Prevention.news.
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