[jimbo2012]

might increase prostate-cancer risk



Men who take fish-oil supplements or eat a lot of fatty fish expecting health benefits might actually increase their risk for prostate cancer, including aggressive types that are harder to treat.

That news comes out of a study published online yesterday in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute and follows an analysis last year of 20 fish-oil studies that concluded that supplements offer no clear heart benefits.

The authors of the study, the second they’ve done that found an association, say men would be well-served to skip supplements. Other experts say the new study is provocative but not definitive because the relationship between fatty acids and cancer is not well understood.

Americans spend about $1 billion a year on fish-oil supplements.

The study looked at 2,227 men, 834 of whom had prostate cancer. Of the cancer patients, 156 had high-grade, or more aggressive, cancer.

Men with higher levels of long-chain fatty acids in their bloodstream had a 43 percent increased risk for prostate cancer compared with those with lower levels.

And they had a 71 percent increased risk of more aggressive cancers, according to a statistical analysis by researchers including cancer epidemiologist Theodore Brasky, who now works at Ohio State University’s Comprehensive Cancer Center.He worked on the project at Seattle’s Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center.

Of the 176 men with prostate cancer who had the lowest fatty-acid levels, 26 had more-serious cases. Of the 245 with the highest levels, 43 had high-grade cancer.

Brasky’s co-author, Alan Kristal, an epidemiologist in Seattle, pointed to several studies debunking theories that vitamins and minerals ward off cancer and other disease.

“Why would you do it? Americans have been sold a complete bill of goods on supplements,” he said. “I think the message increasingly is that these are not good for you.”The new study offers no recommendations on how much omega-3 fatty acid is reasonable, nor did the researchers recommend that men stop eating fish.

With their first study, “We made everyone a little nervous. The findings were opposite from what we expected initially,” Brasky said.

The notion that omega-3 fatty acids prevent disease because they reduce inflammation is an oversimplification of a complex process, he said.

There are several things to keep in mind about the research.

This study wasn’t a randomized, double-blind study designed specifically to test for any relationship between fish oil and prostate cancer. That’s the gold standard. Instead, the researchers went back and looked at blood analysis in a group of men who were part of a major study looking at the effects of selenium and vitamin E in prostate cancer.

The study did not address the relationship between the fatty acids and outcomes for those men who had cancer.

It also did not include an analysis of what the men ate and what supplements they took. It only looked at the levels of fatty acids in their blood samples.

The study does not draw any link between plant-based omega-3 fatty acids and prostate cancer, only those typically found in fatty fish such as salmon and tuna and in supplements.

Many people take omega-3 fatty acids for their anti-inflammatory properties, believing they’ll help in a variety of ways, including as a protection against heart disease.

Dr. Andy Chapekis, a cardiologist at Riverside Methodist Hospital, said heart specialists don’t typically push patients to use the supplements, given the weakness of the research. He generally advised patients who wanted to take them that there was no harm in trying. That is, until this study.

Dr. Steven Clinton, who directs Ohio State’s molecular carcinogenesis and chemoprevention program, said he looks forward to seeing more research in this area that might confirm and better explain the connection.

Clinton said he expects nutritionists will continue to recommend fish as part of a healthy diet.

“No major organization is going to say that the public should go out and take omega-3 supplements,” Clinton said. “If you follow healthy dietary patterns, you should not need a supplement.”

.....

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by jimbo2012

might increase prostate-cancer risk



Men who take fish-oil supplements or eat a lot of fatty fish expecting health benefits might actually increase their risk for prostate cancer, including aggressive types that are harder to treat.

That news comes out of a study published online yesterday in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute and follows an analysis last year of 20 fish-oil studies that concluded that supplements offer no clear heart benefits.

The authors of the study, the second they’ve done that found an association, say men would be well-served to skip supplements. Other experts say the new study is provocative but not definitive because the relationship between fatty acids and cancer is not well understood.

Americans spend about $1 billion a year on fish-oil supplements.

The study looked at 2,227 men, 834 of whom had prostate cancer. Of the cancer patients, 156 had high-grade, or more aggressive, cancer.

Men with higher levels of long-chain fatty acids in their bloodstream had a 43 percent increased risk for prostate cancer compared with those with lower levels.

And they had a 71 percent increased risk of more aggressive cancers, according to a statistical analysis by researchers including cancer epidemiologist Theodore Brasky, who now works at Ohio State University’s Comprehensive Cancer Center.He worked on the project at Seattle’s Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center.

Of the 176 men with prostate cancer who had the lowest fatty-acid levels, 26 had more-serious cases. Of the 245 with the highest levels, 43 had high-grade cancer.

Brasky’s co-author, Alan Kristal, an epidemiologist in Seattle, pointed to several studies debunking theories that vitamins and minerals ward off cancer and other disease.

“Why would you do it? Americans have been sold a complete bill of goods on supplements,” he said. “I think the message increasingly is that these are not good for you.”The new study offers no recommendations on how much omega-3 fatty acid is reasonable, nor did the researchers recommend that men stop eating fish.

With their first study, “We made everyone a little nervous. The findings were opposite from what we expected initially,” Brasky said.

The notion that omega-3 fatty acids prevent disease because they reduce inflammation is an oversimplification of a complex process, he said.

There are several things to keep in mind about the research.

This study wasn’t a randomized, double-blind study designed specifically to test for any relationship between fish oil and prostate cancer. That’s the gold standard. Instead, the researchers went back and looked at blood analysis in a group of men who were part of a major study looking at the effects of selenium and vitamin E in prostate cancer.

The study did not address the relationship between the fatty acids and outcomes for those men who had cancer.

It also did not include an analysis of what the men ate and what supplements they took. It only looked at the levels of fatty acids in their blood samples.

The study does not draw any link between plant-based omega-3 fatty acids and prostate cancer, only those typically found in fatty fish such as salmon and tuna and in supplements.

Many people take omega-3 fatty acids for their anti-inflammatory properties, believing they’ll help in a variety of ways, including as a protection against heart disease.

Dr. Andy Chapekis, a cardiologist at Riverside Methodist Hospital, said heart specialists don’t typically push patients to use the supplements, given the weakness of the research. He generally advised patients who wanted to take them that there was no harm in trying. That is, until this study.

Dr. Steven Clinton, who directs Ohio State’s molecular carcinogenesis and chemoprevention program, said he looks forward to seeing more research in this area that might confirm and better explain the connection.

Clinton said he expects nutritionists will continue to recommend fish as part of a healthy diet.

“No major organization is going to say that the public should go out and take omega-3 supplements,” Clinton said. “If you follow healthy dietary patterns, you should not need a supplement.”

.....

Is this copied, or paraphrased?

[Didiwinbob]

I was guilty of dosing too much to my canines. Was told this would help with shedding! I feel so stupid when the vet scolded me. Dog was not tolerating and I didn't put two and two together . Yep I have decided no more supplements for human or canines at my house!

[jimbo2012]

Originally Posted by graciegirl

Is this copied, or paraphrased?

Exact copy, why do U ask?

[rjm1cc]

It is good that the studies are done but unfortunately we will probably not know if fish oil is good or bad in our particular case until years of research are completed. Thus a little hard to react to any one study. However, without doing any academic studies I am certain in my own mind that the longer you live the more likely it is you will get cancer. But again not everyone who lives a long life will get cancer.

[jimbo2012]

We do now know for sure that all, as in any oils is not good for the arteries, it creates plaque.

Besides having 98% fat......

[angiefox10]

Originally Posted by jimbo2012

Exact copy, why do U ask?

I'm sure you meant to post the link so people could see where it came from.

Study: Fish oil might increase prostate-cancer risk | The Columbus Dispatch


I'm pretty sure you weren't trying to take credit for the article....

[Nova Filtration]

Gracie I think wanted to know if the article was edited?

[Uptown Girl]

Originally Posted by Nova Filtration

Gracie I think wanted to know if the article was edited?

Jimbo..... she asked if you copied someone's article or paraphrased it. You answered her already.

Nova Filtration is another avatar of yours, right?

[Duvalboomer]

This is like the chicken and the egg argument which came first? the higher levels of omega 3 or the prostate cancer? It would be more telling to follow men that take supplemental omega 3 and compare their prostate cancer rates to a sample of men that didn't take omega 3's and then compare those groups to a group that ate fatty fish.

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by Duvalboomer

This is like the chicken and the egg argument which came first? the higher levels of omega 3 or the prostate cancer? It would be more telling to follow men that take supplemental omega 3 and compare their prostate cancer rates to a sample of men that didn't take omega 3's and then compare those groups to a group that ate fatty fish.

My husband is in such a study, conducted by Harvard School of medicine.

[philnpat]

Originally Posted by angiefox10

I'm sure you meant to post the link so people could see where it came from.

Study: Fish oil might increase prostate-cancer risk | The Columbus Dispatch


I'm pretty sure you weren't trying to take credit for the article....

Thinking about cancelling my health insurance ...
Won't be needing it with all these words of wisdom...
Or...maybe not.

[Shimpy]

The public is getting wiser and wiser to hearing one study that says avoid "X", and then the next study that says you need to get more "X". I remember going through this with vit "C".
I'd be glad to change my diet , but would like to know for sure and nobody can tell you for sure.

[Villages PL]

Originally Posted by Shimpy

The public is getting wiser and wiser to hearing one study that says avoid "X", and then the next study that says you need to get more "X". I remember going through this with vit "C".
I'd be glad to change my diet , but would like to know for sure and nobody can tell you for sure.

This is a predicament that people get themselves into when they don't live a healthy lifestyle. For example, they eat a poor diet and then develop inflammation. Then they hear that fish-oil can help with the inflammation so they start taking fish-oil. Well, why didn't they just eat a healthy (anti-inflammation) diet diet to begin with? The problem comes in when people do the wrong things and then look for shortcuts to improve their health.