The oil that helps heart health and fights prostate cancer

Omega-3 fatty acids in fish oil are polyunsaturated fats that are important to men’s health. The many omega-3 fatty acids health benefits for men include preventing prostate cancer growth, protecting cardiovascular health and assisting the body with responding to insulin. Omega-3s may also help with other prostate conditions like enlarged prostate and prostatitis.

The body is either unable or very limited in its manufacture of omega-3s, so you must get these fatty acids through diet or supplements. The three types of omega-3 fatty acids are EPA, DHA and ALA. EPA and DHA can be consumed from fatty fish. The best sources of ALA are foods like walnuts, flaxseed, hemp oil, chia seeds, pumpkin seeds and fortified foods. Good choices for EPA and DHA include wild salmon, anchovies, herring, sardines, Pacific halibut, albacore tuna and trout.

Fish should be an important part of your diet, but it is important to know what to look for when shopping for seafood.

Eating fish is inevitably a part of a heart-healthy and prostate-friendly eating plan. Fish consumption is an important component of the Mediterranean diet, a healthy long-term diet and eating style that is good for men’s health. Nevertheless, there are several fish men should not eat. You should avoid certain types of seafood that are high in mercury and other contaminants, such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). These toxins have been found to cause cancer and health problems associated with the immune system, reproductive system, nervous system and endocrine system. Mercury in fish usually appears in the form of methylmercury, which can cause several health problems and increase your risk for heart attack.

Finding The Best Fish For Omega-3

Unfortunately, some fish retains mercury, pesticides and antibiotics. For the most part, it is a good idea to buy domestic seafood; less than 2 percent of imported seafood is inspected.

Salmon is a popular food high in omega-3s, but you have to know what to look for when shopping. Wild salmon is preferable to farmed for environmental and health reasons. The stocks of Atlantic salmon are so low that it is illegal to capture wild Atlantic salmon. Any fish labeled as “Atlantic salmon” is actually farmed fish. The very crowded salmon farming practices have negatively affected the wild fish population. Farmed salmon are subjected to diseases and parasites that require treatment with antibiotics and pesticides. Be aware that genetically engineered salmon may be on the way (it’s awaiting approval), so for all these reasons you should opt for wild Alaskan salmon when looking for dietary sources of omega-3 fatty acids.

Types of seafood you should avoid:

• Farmed salmon (choose wild Alaskan salmon).
• Imported shrimp (one of the dirtiest and most-contaminated foods — buy domestic).
• Atlantic flatfish such flounder, sole, and halibut (instead choose Pacific halibut).
• Atlantic bluefin tuna (high in mercury).
• Ahi tuna (high in mercury).
• Bigeye tuna (high in mercury).

When buying tuna, avoid Atlantic bluefin, ahi (yellowfin) and bigeye; they are high in mercury.  A healthier choice:  albacore tuna caught in the U.S. or in British Columbia, which has lower mercury levels. Canned albacore is listed as chunk white, so that is a lower-mercury canned tuna option.

Studies On Omega-3 And Prostate Cancer

A large body of research has established the benefits of omega-3 fatty acids for prostate health. One of the best studies examining how omega-3s benefits prostates was published in 2009 by University of California at San Francisco researchers. They evaluated 466 men with aggressive prostate cancer and 478 healthy men. The men completed questionnaires about their daily food intake and were screened for a variant of a gene known to increase the risk for developing prostate cancer.

After analyzing the data, the researchers observed that men who ate dark fatty fish like salmon at least once a week had a 63 percent reduced risk for prostate cancer. Men who ate little or no fatty fish and had the gene variant were five times more likely to develop advanced prostate cancer. The researchers concluded that eating omega-3 fatty acids may help decrease inflammation in the prostate and impact the gene variant linked to prostate tumors.

A Harvard School of Public Health study also found that men diagnosed with prostate cancer who ate fish at least five times a week had a 48 percent lower risk of dying from prostate cancer compared to men who ate fish less than once per week. This research, the Physician’s Health Study, involved more than 20,000 men.

In July of last year, omega-3 made headlines because an omega-3 prostate cancer study allegedly linked omega-3 consumption to prostate cancer. But many prostate doctors and specialists analyzed the retrospective study and determined that the study was significantly flawed. The study did not consider known risk factors and did not show cause and effect, so experts still maintain that omega-3s are safe for men and can benefit prostate health.

Supplements For Prostate Health

If you are not a big fan of eating fish, you can still get the benefits of omega-3 fatty acids from supplements. Besides fighting prostate cancer, omega-3s offer other prostate health benefits. They can help with an enlarged prostate (benign prostatic hyperplasia or BPH and with prostatitis. Studies show that men with BPH tend to have lower blood levels of omega-3s.

If you have symptoms of an enlarged prostate, a very common occurrence as you age, you may want to look into supplements that shrink the prostate. Together with omega-3s, prostate supplements can help you maximize your prostate health.

Whether you chose to eat your omega-3 fats in fish or take them in supplement form, be a smart shopper. Look for purified fish oil supplements that offer high-quality fish oil. If you buy fish, look for wild species that are low in contaminants. Being a smart shopper helps you achieve your goal of better prostate and heart health while providing the best health benefit for your money.

Sources: 

1. Chavarro JE et al. A 22-y prospective study of fish intake in relation to prostate cancer incidence and mortality. — Am J Clin Nutr 2008 Nov; 88(5): 1297-303
2. Fradet V et al. Dietary omega-3 fatty acids, cyclooxygenase-2 genetic variation, and aggressive prostate cancer risk. — Clinical Cancer Research 2009; 15: 2559.
3. Hedelin M et al. Association of frequent consumption of fatty fish with prostate cancer risk is modified by COX-2 polymorphism. — Intl J Cancer 2007 Jan 15; 120(2): 398-405.