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Is Common Fish Oil A New Cancer Cure?
Written by Wellness Club on September 5, 2013 – 5:29 pm -By Nurse Mark
Vital To Health
Omega 3 fatty acids such as are found in fish oil are essential to health. In fact, they are essential to life itself – without adequate amounts of essential fatty acids, including the Omega 3 fatty acids EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) in our diet we will soon sicken and even die.
We know that deficiencies of Omega-3 Essential Fatty Acids contribute to subtle body-wide inflammation which in turn is associated with over 60 known diseases including:
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overweight and obesity |
autoimmune disease |
neurological disease |
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heart disease |
allergies |
psoriasis and eczema |
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cancer |
asthma |
high blood pressure |
|
arthritis |
depression |
stroke |
Now a Cancer Treatment Too?
We have long know how valuable EPA and DHA are to health – but new research is showing that these essential fatty acids can be potent cancer-fighting compounds as well.
Researchers at the University of London, England have published a paper detailing their success in using Omega 3 fatty acids to induce cell death in malignant and pre-malignant cells called keratonicytes (skin cells). They also found that the doses of Omega 3 fatty acids needed to kill the cancerous and pre-malignant cells was not harmful to normal, healthy cells.
In a news release by the University of London, lead researcher Dr Nikolakopoulou said: “As the doses needed to kill the cancer cells do not affect normal cells, especially with one particular fatty acid we used called Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), there is potential for using omega-3 fatty acids in the prevention and treatment of skin and oral cancers.”
| Untreated Cancer Keratonicytes | Omega-3 Treated Cancer Keratinocytes |
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This shows untreated cancer keratonicytes. Image Credit: Queen Mary, University of London |
This shows omega-3 treated cancer keratinocytes. Image Credit: Queen Mary, University of London |
Why Is This Important?
Keratinocytes are simply the fancy name for skin cells – another name for these cells in squamous cells. Most people have heard of a cancer called Squamous Cell Carcinoma (SCC) – or “skin cancer.” Squamous cells form the outermost layers of the skin, and SCC is one of the main forms of skin cancer.
Squamous cells are also part of the lining of the digestive tract (including the lips and mouth), the lungs, and other areas of the body. Mouth cancer, or Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma (OSCC) is the sixth most common cancer worldwide.
Big Pharma Takes Note…
Of course, no researcher survives long without ensuring that their work attracts the attention of the pharmaceutical companies, and Big Pharma doesn’t give out research grants for things unlikely to become patentable and profitable.
Omega 3 fatty acids are not patentable – they come from fish. So why would a researcher put any effort into Omega 3 fatty acids? In that same news release we find a clue:
“It may be that those at an increased risk of such cancers – or their recurrence – could benefit from increased omega-3 fatty acids. Moreover, as the skin and oral cancers are often easily accessible, there is the potential to deliver targeted doses locally via aerosols or gels. However further research is needed to define the appropriate therapeutic doses.”
Translation?
“People should take more Omega 3 fatty acids to prevent and treat cancers. Meanwhile we’ll work on figuring out some new, patentable delivery system that will make us a big profit. Oh, and I’ll need another research grant so that I can figure out what doses will be needed.”
The Take-Home Message
Dr. Myatt has long advocated Fish Oil supplements as one of the pillars of a daily supplementation regimen for optimal health. This new research just adds additional weight to the importance of Omega 3 essential fatty acids in our health.
Dr. Myatt’s top recommendation for purity and potency in Omega 3 fatty acids is Maxi Marine O-3 fish oil.
Learn more about the important nutritional benefits of Omega 3 Essential Fatty Acids here.
References
Zacharoula Nikolakopoulou, Georgios Nteliopoulos, Adina Teodora Michael-Titus and Eric Kenneth Parkinson. Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids selectively inhibit growth in neoplastic oral keratinocytes by differentially activating ERK1/2, Oxford Journals, Carcinogenesis,Advance Access, 10.1093/carcin/bgt257
http://carcin.oxfordjournals.org/content/early/2013/07/24/carcin.bgt257.abstract
Fatty acids could aid cancer prevention and treatment – Public release date: 1-Aug-2013, Queen Mary, University of London. http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-08/qmuo-fa080113.php
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