Private MD News

Fish oil supplements may reduce the risk of breast cancer

Category: Breast

Women who regularly take fish oil supplements may be less likely to have a positive breast cancer test.

A new study has found that the omega-3 fatty acids in these supplements lower the risk of developing invasive ductal breast cancer, the most common type of the disease, by as much as 32 percent.

Researchers from the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, Washington, administered questionnaires to 35,016 women regarding their use of nutritional supplements. They found that women who took the most fish oil supplements were least likely to develop breast cancer during the six-year study.

The report speculated that fish oil supplements may provide a higher level of omega-3s than individuals would be able to get from dietary consumption alone.

While Emily White, who led the investigation, said that omega-3s may have powerful nutritional benefits, she cautioned that more research needs to be done before the nutrients are accepted as a standard treatment for cancer prevention.

"Without confirming studies specifically addressing this, we should not draw any conclusions about a causal relationship," she said.