The health benefits of oily fish have been advocated for 20 years. Adding one or two servings a week of mackerel or salmon to the household shopping list is believed to help fend off heart disease and has been claimed to ease the symptoms of asthma and bowel disease, prevent premature birth, boost memory, and cure depression.
Now US researchers say that taking fish oil supplements may cut the risk of breast cancer. Previous dietary studies have been inconsistent, possibly because few people meet the recommended target for oily fish consumption. Taking supplements could result in higher levels of the omega-3 fatty acids that bring the benefit, they say.
The study was carried out by researchers from the University of Washington and the University of California in the US. It was funded by the US National Cancer Institute and published in the peer-reviewed medical journal, Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention.
Fish oil supplements
Omega-3 fatty acids are considered essential fatty acids: They are necessary for human health but the body can’ t make them — you have to get them through food. Omega-3 fatty acids can be found in fish, such as salmon, tuna, and halibut, other seafood including algae and krill, some plants, and nut oils. Also known as polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), omega-3 fatty acids play a crucial role in brain function as well as normal growth and development. They have also become popular because they may reduce the risk of heart disease. The American Heart Association recommends eating fish (particularly fatty fish such as mackerel, lake trout, herring, sardines, albacore tuna, and salmon) at least 2 times a week.
Research shows that omega-3 fatty acids reduce inflammation and may help lower risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, cancer, and arthritis. Omega-3 fatty acids are highly concentrated in the brain and appear to be important for cognitive (brain memory and performance) and behavioral function. In fact, infants who do not get enough omega-3 fatty acids from their mothers during pregnancy are at risk for developing vision and nerve problems. Symptoms of omega-3 fatty acid deficiency include fatigue, poor memory, dry skin, heart problems, mood swings or depression, and poor circulation.
It is important to have a balance of omega-3 and omega-6 (another essential fatty acid) in the diet. Omega-3 fatty acids help reduce inflammation, and most omega-6 fatty acids tend to promote inflammation. The typical American diet tends to contain 14 – 25 times more omega-6 fatty acids than omega-3 fatty acids.
The Mediterranean diet, on the other hand, has a healthier balance between omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Many studies have shown that people who follow this diet are less likely to develop heart disease. The Mediterranean diet does not include much meat (which is high in omega-6 fatty acids) and emphasizes foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids, including whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables, fish, olive oil, garlic, as well as moderate wine consumption.
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A new research led by Michigan State University has shown that fish oil – long encouraged by doctors as a supplement to support heart and joint health, among other benefits – induced severe colitis and colon cancer in mice.
Jenifer Fenton, a food science and human nutrition researcher at MSU, led the research that supports establishing a dose limit for docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), one of the omega-3 fatty acids present in fish oil, particularly in people suffering from chronic conditions such as inflammatory bowel diseases.
“We found that mice developed deadly, late-stage colon cancer when given high doses of fish oil,” she said. “More importantly, with the increased inflammation, it only took four weeks for the tumors to develop.”
Specifically, the research team found an increase in the severity of the cancer and an aggressive progression of the cancer in not only the mice receiving the highest doses of DHA but those receiving lower doses as well. The mice used in the study were prone to inflammatory-like bowel disease; inflammation is an important risk factor for many types of cancers, including colon cancer.
“Our findings support a growing body of literature implicating harmful effects of high doses of fish oil consumption in relation to certain diseases,” Fenton said.
The research has been published in the journal Cancer Research.
THE wartime generation had vitamin D spoon-fed to them in the form of yucky cod liver oil. Yet this humble nutrient may do far more for our health than just prevent rickets and some experts are worried we are not getting enough.
Now Government advisers are examining whether our levels of vitamin D should be boosted by fortifying milk and other foods.
At school you probably learned that vitamin D helps the body to absorb and use calcium and phosphorus and is therefore essential for maintaining strong and healthy bones. Yet more recent research evidence suggests it may have a whole host of other benefits.
A study out today says it influences more than 200 genes including some associated with autoimmune conditions such as Crohn’s disease.
It has emerged as a protective factor in bowel cancer. In a study of more than 3,000 older adults who underwent a colonoscopy, those with the highest vitamin D intake had a significantly lower risk of cancerous lesions.
Research suggests vitamin D might also play a role in the prevention and treatment of diabetes, high blood pressure and multiple sclerosis.
Unfortunately, many of us are falling short of recommended levels. Figures from the Government’s National Diet and Nutrition Survey show that the proportion of the British adult population with low vitamin D status is around one in six or seven. Some sections of the population, particularly the elderly, can have very low levels.
Why aren’t we getting enough?
Our major source of vitamin D is the sun. When sunlight hits the skin (without sunscreen on it) an inactive form of the vitamin is formed. This passes through the liver and kidneys, transforming it into the active vitamin as the body requires.
Yet in Britain almost no vitamin D is generated in the skin during the winter months and if we don’t get out in the sun regularly when it does appear, we’re likely to fall short.
http://www.express.co.uk/features/view/195074/Are-we-getting-enough-vitamin-D-