A study has found that those who consumed more omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids had a lower risk of developing cancer.
This trend was seen in 19 different site-specific cancers — with higher omega-6 levels reducing the risk of 14 cancers, whereas omega-3s were correlated with risk reduction in 5 cancer indications.
Reducing cancer risk with fatty acids
Throughout this study, researchers from the University of Georgia looked into data from 253,138 eligible individuals on the UK Biobank database.
By looking into their dietary fatty acid intake and the resulting incidences of cancer within this population, they aimed to determine the impacts of the ‘good’ fats on health and if they had any impact on cancer risk.
By looking into this trend, scientists discovered a significant inverse association with cancer risk and omega-3/6 intake.
Heightened omega-6 intake was connected to a risk reduction range of common cancers, including oesophageal, stomach, brain and pancreatic.
Similar associations are seen with omega-3s, with positive impacts being seen colon, lung and hepatobiliary cancer.
Interestingly, increased omega-3 intake was associated with an increased risk of prostate cancer, suggesting that heightened intake of the fatty acid would be unadvisable in older men at high risk of the disease — this would, however, have to be corroborated by further studies.
Age matters
Researchers also determined that age could impact how the body responds to an increased fatty acid intake.
During the study, it became apparent that older individuals could reaping the benefits of a heightened omega-3 intake more than their younger counterparts, with risk reduction increasing in this population.
The opposite trend was seen for omega-6s, as the younger population seemed to benefit more from the high intake of the fatty acid; this trend was also more pronounced in women.
Thinking about omega-3/6 ratios
Although both omega-3 and omega-6 were linked to a reduced cancer risk, researchers found that the ratio in which they were consumed could impact outcomes.
They believe this was owing to the risk reduction percentage that each fatty acid exhibited on an individual, as omega-6s were associated with a 0.55% reduction, whereas omega-3s were linked to a 0.65% depletion in risk.
Therefore, it could be inferred that those looking to diminish their cancer risk should intake more omega-3 than omega-6 to optimise this impact.
As the role of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) in health become more apparent through research, those in the nutraceutical industry may benefit from exploring the benefits of these crucial ingredients in chronic indications such as cancer.
Yuchen Zhang, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics at the University of Georgia, concluded: “Our study laid a solid foundation for future mechanistic studies into the roles of PUFAs in the etiology of various cancers. It also provided insights into the development of cancer prevention strategies by managing circulating PUFAs.”