Prostate Cancer And Omega 3 Fatty Acids

If you are a man with the COX-2 rs4647310 variant, a known risk factor for aggressive prostate cancer, eating a diet high in omega 3 fatty acids can substantially reduce your risk of getting prostate cancer.

In fact, with a diet high in these essential fatty acids, you can reduce your risk to that of someone without the COX-2 gene.

While we have known that a diet rich in these essential fatty acids could help prevent cancer, this is the first indication that it can ameliorate known serious risk factors.

Omega 3 fatty acids are called essential fatty acids because they are essential to our optimal functioning, and because we must ingest them on a daily basis. Unlike other compounds essential to our health, our bodies cannot manufacture them from other foods we eat.

Omega 3 fatty acids have a number of benefits, including reducing inflammation, improving memory, alleviating depression, supporting cardiovascular health, lowering cholesterol and hypertension, as well as providing reduced instances of breast and colon cancer.

Good dietary sources of omega 3 fatty acids include fatty fish like mackerel, sardines, lake trout, albacore tuna and salmon; tofu; flaxseed, canola and soybean oils; flaxseed and walnuts.

While supplements are also available, do not supplement with more than 3 grams of omega 3 fatty acids except on the advice of a physician.