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Over-the-counter supplements of Omega-3 fats provide us with essential good fats in the accessible fish-oil doesn’t provide optimum health with the promises of disease prevention. The nutrients available in its natural source come from nuts and seeds and fatty fish, such as salmon when available to us in supplements does ensure heart health but puts us into the risk of other diseases.
According to new research, supplements based on Omega-3 fats do not have a protective effect against cancer and could even potentially increase the chances of its onset, albeit marginally.
Yet, before we get into understanding the health possibilities of the omega-3 supplements, let’s try and understand the precious health benefits available in the pure sources of the rich nutrient.
The evidence on omega-3 mostly comes from trials of fish oil supplements, so the health effects of oily fish, a rich source of long-chain omega-3 are unclear. Oily fish is a very nutritious food as part of a balanced diet, rich in protein and energy as well as important micro-nutrients such as selenium, iodine, vitamin D and calcium – it is much more than an omega-3 source.
The process of omega-3 supplement research
The research team looked at 47 trials involving adults who didn’t have cancer, who were at increased risk of cancer, or had a previous cancer diagnosis, and 86 trials with evidence on cardiovascular events or deaths.
More than 100,000 participants were randomised to consume more long-chain omega-3 fats (fish oils), or maintain their usual intake, for at least a year for each of the reviews.
They studied the number of people who died, received a new diagnosis of cancer, heart attack or stroke and/or died of any of the diseases.
Supplement’s varied impact on your heart and preventative-cancer health
Consumption of omega-3 fats is widely promoted globally because of a common belief that it will protect against, or even reverse, diseases such as cancer, heart attacks, and stroke.
According to two systematic reviews carried out by researchers from the University of East Anglia, omega-3 supplements might only lead to a slight reduction in coronary heart disease mortality and events, but they can marginally increase the risk of cancer.
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PERSONALISE NOWHowever, both beneficial and harmful effects are small.
Simply put, the findings say that if 1,000 people took omega-3 supplements for around four years, three people would avoid dying from heart disease, six people would avoid a coronary event (such as a heart attack) and three extra people would develop cancer.
The sister systematic reviews are published in the British Journal of Cancer and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews.
The research team looked at 47 trials involving adults who didn’t have cancer, who were at increased risk of cancer, or had a previous cancer diagnosis, and 86 trials with evidence on cardiovascular events or deaths.
More than 100,000 participants were randomised to consume more long-chain omega-3 fats (fish oils), or maintain their usual intake, for at least a year for each of the reviews.
They studied the number of people who died, received a new diagnosis of cancer, heart attack or stroke and/or died of any of the diseases.
“These large systematic reviews included information from many thousands of people over long periods. This large amount of information has clarified that if we take omega 3 supplements for several years we may very slightly reduce our risk of heart disease, but balance this with very slightly increasing our risk of some cancers. The overall effects on our health are minimal,” Hooper explained.
In short, this conscious research shows that long-chain omega 3 supplements, including fish oils, do not protect against conditions such as anxiety, depression, stroke or diabetes making it important for us to question our medical choices.
So, before laying your hands on over-the-counter supplements learn a bit more about them.
