Dr. Swain
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Fish
Oil a Danger?
by
Dr. Robert Swain
Q.
I heard fish oil increases risk of prostate cancer.
A.
Recently there was an article published that got people's attention in
regards to high doses of fish oil and the relation to higher risk of
prostate cancer. This is not new information.
First, I have
to tell you that what was published is ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.
Researchers have known that high doses of fish oil are related to a
higher risk of prostate cancer, as it was published for the first time
back in the end of the 80's beginning of the 90's.
Even though
this is nothing new, scientists consider it worth discussing for the
following reasons:
The higher
risk of prostate cancer happens when taking fish oil only, not with
other omega-3 supplements, ONLY AND EXCLUSIVELY WITH FISH OIL
and only happens when doses of six grams fish oil or more are taken on
a daily basis for periods longer than two years. (Which nobody does.)
Doses of 10
to 20 grams of fish oil and 13 to 26 grams of other omega-3 supplements
have been used in other studies to treat other prostate disease, like
prostate hyperplasia, without showing signs of higher risk of prostate
cancer. The studies have failed over and over, and have never been
successful on demonstrating that omega-3s different than the fish oil
could also produce a higher risk of cancer.
Scientists
consider this a paradox, since the higher risk of cancer happens only
with fish oil supplements, not with real fish. For instance, the
Japanese and the Inuit of Greenland, who happen to eat massive amount
of blue fish every day, have the lowest risk of prostate cancer in the
world.
There are
more studies proving the benefits of taking omega-3
supplements for the prostate health than the studies that are done
against it. There have been a few studies about it and the one that
remarks prostate cancer risk has not been reproduced with success has
not been published. Neither has the source of the fish oil been
revealed. Since the quality of the omega-3 is critical for its
therapeutic effect, many scientists believe the problem in this study
was the quality of the fish oil more than the fish oil itself.
Thank you for
such a great question. If you need a good fish oil, give me a call and
I can recommend some. If you have a question about any
article, please let me know and I will respond.
Just
for Fun Quiz
Which state
. . .
1. Has
the most scientists and engineers?
2. The largest city in square miles?
3. Was where television was invented in 1922.
4. Has twice as many college graduates of any other
state.
Good Luck
Last
Month's Answers
1 -
Frisbee was invented here. Answer: Yale in New Haven,
Connecticut
2- Has an exact replica of the house in Wizard of Oz ( could be a
trick). Answer: Liberal, Kansas
3- President Teddy Roosevelt refused to shoot a bear
here. Answer: Mississippi
4- More triplets are born here than any other state. Answer:
Kentucky
As
always stay well, win the war against disease, and enjoy a long healthy
life.
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