A team from the University of Georgia analyzed medical data from more than 250,000 people to assess the impact of diet on cancer risk. Participants were followed for an average of 12 years. Omega-3 and omega-6 levels were monitored through blood tests throughout the entire observation period.
Higher fatty acid intake was associated with reduced risks of 19 types of cancer. Omega-3 reduced the risk of colon, stomach, lung and other cancers, while omega-6 reduced the likelihood of developing brain cancer, melanoma, bladder cancer and others. The benefits of omega-6 were most pronounced for young people and especially women.
Importantly, the results were independent of other important confounding factors, such as participants’ BMI, physical activity levels and alcohol consumption. The only exception was a small increase in prostate cancer risk with higher blood omega-3 levels. This relationship remains to be explored.
The authors currently recommend enriching the diet to naturally obtain omega-3 and omega-6 from foods. The main sources of these fatty acids are fish, nuts, olive and other vegetable oils.
Previously, other scientists found that omega-3 was effective in reducing aggression regardless of gender, age, or disease. The supplement reduced the risk of aggressive behavior by a third.