Should you be taking more Omega 3 fish oils to help guard against prostate problems?

I know all about prostate cancer, my dad had it and therefore I’m genetically predisposed to prostate cancer. And I’ve had all the tests, but don’t have it yet.

But studies are now suggesting that it may be possible to help prevent or slow prostate cancer by diet, and also by increasing our intake of Omega 3 fatty acids, primarily found in fish.

As with all these things it’s difficult to say when something is sufficiently proven, but lets say to date there have been some promising results from the studies. There are now clear fish oil prostate links that are showing up in the studies.

In one study it was found that if mice that were genetically engineered with a defect that caused prostate cancer and they were fed a diet high in Omega 3 fatty acids their survival and resistance to prostate cancer were enhanced.

There have been a number of studies showing a prostate Omega 3 link, some of them can be read at Science Daily. One study even suggested a link between fish oil and prostate cancer in it’s more advanced form.

This is excellent news, not just for me, but for all men. Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed form of cancer and is the leading cause of death in men in the US.

Why is it considered that there is a strong fish oil and prostate cancer prevention link? One explanation is to do with inflammation. Most men, with advancing age, get inflammation of the prostate. It may not be serious itself but may be a precursor to prostate cancer.

And Omega 3 fats are known to be one of the best anti inflammatories that exist. Often Aspirin is used as an anti inflammatory, with some negative side effects. Fish oils, or at least the 2 primary Omega 3 fats found in fish oils, DHA and EPA, are excellent anti inflammatories, better than Aspirin by far. And with positive, not negative side effects. That’s why it’s thought that Omega 3s are good for Arthritis too.

And that fish oils can help inhibit the production of prostaglandins, one of the hormones our body produces known to produce inflammatory effects.

There is also epidemiological evidence showing a prostate Omega 3 link.  It is known that societies with a high level of Omega 3 intake, in other words societies where a lot of fish is eaten, have a lower incidence of prostate cancer.

So if you’re worried about your prostate, fish oil may be beneficial. And there’s more than just fish oil, studies also suggest that all things we should avoid, like highly processed foods, may also promote prostate cancer, and that all the things we should eat, like fresh fruit and vegetables with lots of good anti oxidants, help prevent prostate disease.

In other words, the Western diet isn’t good for your prostate. Read the rest of this entry

The heart benefits of Omega 3 fish oil are confirmed once again. And this time dosage recommendations are made

Once again a new, mainstream study of the heart benefits of Omega 3 supplementation has come down on the side of the heart benefits of Omega 3 fish oil. Fish oil benefits the heart, there’s no doubt about that, but now there’s more data.

A recent study by the American College Of Cardiology has confirmed the ability of a minimum level of Omega 3 fats in the diet to reduce the risk of heart disease. Heart disease and in particular heart attack is one of the biggest killers in our society, and so anything that reduces our risks of heart disease just has to be good.

This study followed 40,000 people, a significant number of people, over 4 separate trials. The studies concluded that there were clear heart related benefits to Omega 3 fats in increased levels in the diet, and also recommended exact levels of intake.

The recommended levels of essential fatty acids are as follows:

For people with no known risk of cardio vascular disease,  500 mg per day of EPA and DHA together, no recommendation was made about the relative quantities of each. It was noted that further studies need to be done to determine the relative quantities of EPA and DHA.

And for individuals with known coronary heart disease problems, 1000 mg per day of EPA and DHA.

Often a study will provide a conclusion about the benefits of Omega 3 fats in the diet but make no recommendation as to quantity. This time a quantity is specified which gives us more guidance.

If you want to read the study then click here, note that it is in pdf format and that it is a scientific paper, so complex.

How do you get your 500 mg, or 1000 mg, per day? (Remember, always consult your doctor before beginning supplementation)?

Use the best Omega 3 supplements have over twice as much DHA as your average supplements, at 280 mg per 1000 mg capsule. They’re more expensive than most, but when you factor in the amount of DHA, and realize that you have to take half as many capsules as most others, they don’t appear as expensive as on first glance.

And on a comparison of all the important factors in choosing the best Omega 3 supplements they come out well in front for value and effectiveness.

And we’ve written more details about all the benefits of Omega 3 supplements if you’d like to find out more about all the health benefits of taking fish oil supplements, not just the heart benefits.

The benefits of Omega 3 to the human body have been studied extensively. What does fish oil do for you?

Fish oil. Everywhere you seem to read about the benefits of Omega 3, and the Omega 3 fatty acids that fish oil contains, to our health. Lets summarize the health benefits of fish oil.

Firstly let us say that there is not unanimous scientific agreement on all of these health benefits of taking Omega 3 fish oil. Like all these things there is always some disagreement, and continuing studies. But overall there seems to be more general agreement amongst the scientific community that Omega 3 fats from fish are good for us and we ought to all be eating more Omega 3 fats.

Here they are, the health benefits Of Omega 3 fish oil

1. Heart and Cardiovascular benefits of Omega 3 fish oils.

There is now very extensive research on the heart and cardio vascular benefits of taking fish oil supplements. And almost all of it comes down in favor of taking supplements (or eating LOTS of fish) for your heart. The research is mainstream and is clearly supported by the American Heart Association, which recommends the benefits of omega 3 oils to everyone.

The heart benefits of fish oil concentrates are varied. The Omega 3s help reduce the incidence of triglycerides in the blood and elevate the good cholesterol (HDL). They lower the bad cholesterol (LDL) and they also help lower blood pressure. All these are very good for your heart particularly given the incidence of cardio related deaths in our society.

2. Reduction in the risk of stroke.

Firstly there is a reduction in the risk of stroke. Stroke is a very serious matter, with many people every year either dying, or becoming seriously disabled due to strokes. The incidence of stroke in our society is high, and the result of having a stroke can be catastrophic.

Strokes are caused by blood supply in a blood vessel being interrupted by a blood clot. Fish oils help reduce the risk of blood clots, thereby reducing the risk of stroke.

3. Improvements in brain function and reduction in Alzheimers and dementia.

Studies show improvement in memory and thinking ability and also improvements for children in brain development. Promising results are also being seen in lowering the risk of age related brain decline like Alzheimers and dementia.

Not only that but some studies show a reduction in depression and bipolar disease from taking Omega 3 supplements, very promising indeed for sufferers of these illnesses which can be totally devastating.

4. Reduction in the risk of macular degeneration

Macular degeneration is an age related condition that can lead to total blindness in older age. It has been untreatable to date and there are now studies showing that one of the health benefits of omega3 fish oils in the aged is a reduction in the risk of macular degeneration.

5. Reduction in the risks associated with diabetes.

Type 2 diabetes is a mainly lifestyle associated condition. It can be quite debilitating for sufferers though and in some cases can lead to death.

One of the major reasons why type 2 diabetes can result in death is that it can lead to heart problems. Type 2 diabetes can be characterized by high levels of triglycerides in the blood and lower levels of good cholesterol. The risks of death by heart attack for diabetes sufferers are around 6 times higher than they are for the general population.

The heart benefits of Omega 3 fatty acids include lowering the risk of heart attack, and this is particularly important for diabetes sufferers.

6 Improvements in skin health.

One of the benefits of taking Omega3, believe it or not, is an improvement in skin health. The skin care industry is a massive one because so many women want younger looking healthier skin. Omega 3 supplements help them achieve exactly that. Our skin loses some of it’s natural oils all the time, and fish oil supplements help replace those natural oils.

There is quite a wide range of skin conditions that are helped by taking Omega 3 supplements including eczema, psoriasis, skin dryness and skin flaking, and more.

The best results for the skin are to be had from taking Omega 3 supplements along with using extremely high quality skin care products. Combine these 2 and you have a recipe for optimum skin care.

7. Weight control.

Studies have shown that increasing Omega 3 intake can help reduce the incidence of obesity in animals, and that the same can be true for people. The studies aren’t conclusive, however there is no doubt that there are a wide range of different health benefits of Omega 3 fats, so you ought to be taking them regardless, so if the studies are right then some weight control effects won’t go astray either.

And as overweight people can also have cardio vascular issues there’s no doubting the benefits of Omega 3 fats for the cardio vascular system.

8. Reduction in problems associated with mood disorders like depression and bipolar

Studies suggest a strong link between Omega 3 intake and lower levels of some mood disorders, particularly depression and bipolar disorder.

9. Improvements in Arthritis

Omega 3 fats help reduce inflammation in the body, and this helps us with a wide range of health disorders. One of the disorders associated with inflammation is Arthritis, and so taking Omega 3 supplements helps reduce the incidence of Arthritis.

Studies have concentrated on Rheumatoid Arthritis, but have shown a reduction joint tenderness and stiffness and for those taking extra Omega 3 s in their diet can result in a reduction in the need for Arthritis medication.

Other conditions that may be beneficially affected by Omega 3 fats:

1 Use for burns victims.

It is considered likely that the anti inflammatory properties of Omega 3 fats aid in treating burns but  it is not sufficiently studied.

2. Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

Studies have suggested that one of the benifits of Omega 3 may be to reduce symptoms of Chrohns Disease and ulcerative colitis.

3. Asthma

Possibly an increase in Omega 3 fast may help improve lung function and help alleviate asthma.

4. Reduction in the risks of various cancers including bowel cancer, breast cancer and prostate cancer.

There are also studies suggesting a link between increasing Omega 3s and reductions in various types of cancer, but more research is needed and is continuing.

Summary.

Like all things  to do with health and medicine it’s always difficult to say when something is proven, and there will always be experts on both sides of the argument. It seems the evidence for the cardio vascular benefits of Omega 3 supplementation is the strongest, but that there is also significant evidence in support of the other conditions mentioned above.

What to do about it?

It’s quite clear that everyone ought to be keeping their intake of Omega 3 fatty acids high, and that our diets, on average, are too low in Omega fats. There is ample evidence of the benefits of Omega 3 supplementation in many areas, and for these reasons sales of fish oil supplements are growing faster than any other supplement in history.

The AHA recommends Omega 3 fats for our diets. That’s quite clear. Whether some benefits of omega 3 intake are proven or not there are clearly significant health benefits from taking them, and secondary benefits like weight control may just be icing on the cake. Either way we all ought to be getting more Omega 3 in our diets.

What to take?

It’s also clear that we ought to be limiting our intake of some fish, and to take daily Omega 3 in adequate amounts is difficult unless we take the best Omega 3 capsules available.

The best Omega 3 supplements are excellent value for reasons we have outlined in our article about how to find the best Omega 3 supplements. Not the cheapest, but the best.

Note that particularly if you have pre existing medical conditions you ought to consult your doctor before starting dietary supplements including Omega 3 supplements.

To your health.