Omega-3 Fatty Acids Could Prevent Breast Cancer

Regular consumption of oily fish, which is a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids, can slow down the growth of breast cancer by 30 percent.

Regular consumption of oily fish, which is a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids, can slow down the growth of breast cancer by 30 percent, reveals a new study.

Study authors David Ma, a professor in Guelph's Department of Human Health and Nutritional Sciences, said that their study shows that lifelong exposure to omega-3s had a beneficial role in disease prevention - in this case, breast cancer prevention.

Health Benefits of Fish
Fish is one of the staple food of coastal inhabitants. Nutrition in fish includes protein, calcium and omega-3 fatty acids. Fish is considered to be beneficial for heart and brain.

Ma said that health advocates have long believed that diet may significantly help in preventing cancer but epidemiological and experimental studies to back up such claims have been lacking, and human studies have been inconsistent.

For their research, they created a novel transgenic mouse that produced both omega-3 fatty acids and develops aggressive mammary tumors. The team compared those animals to mice genetically engineered only to develop the same tumors.

Mice producing omega-3s developed only two-thirds as many tumors - and tumors were also 30-per-cent smaller - as compared to the control mice.

Quiz on Breast Cancer
Breast cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer deaths among women. It is often said that a woman who breast-feeds is at a lower risk of developing cancer compared to another who does not .Are these mere old wives tales or is there some truth in it? This quiz on breast cancer has all the details.

"The difference can be solely attributed to the presence of omega-3s in the transgenic mice - that's significant," Ma said.

"The fact that a food nutrient can have a significant effect on tumor development and growth is remarkable and has considerable implications in breast cancer prevention," he added.

Advantages of Eating Fish Foods - Health Benefits
Researchers worldwide have discovered that eating fish regularly is good for health. Regular consumption of fish may reduce the risk of diseases such as asthma, prostate cancer and eyesight.

The study has been published in the Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry.

Source-ANI

Interesting Facts About Breast Cancer
Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in women and in 2020 and nearly 2.3 million breast cancers were diagnosed globally.