Men with high blood levels of DHA – a type of omega-3 found in fatty fish – which would normally be associated with positive health benefits – especially when it comes to heart health – have been found to be far, far, more likely to be at risk of developing “aggressive, high-grade” prostate cancer than men with the lowest levels. They were found to be around two and a half times more at risk.
The research, published online in the American Journal of Epidemiology comes as a surprise to advocates of omega-3 and comes after researchers from the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center analysed data from more than 3,400 men.
They also found that men with the highest levels of trans fatty acids in their blood – a bad thing when it comes to increased risks of heart disease – were 50% LESS likely to be at risk of prostate cancer.
Lead researcher Theodore M. Brasky, said,
“We were stunned to see these results and we spent a lot of time making sure the analyses were correct. Our findings turn what we know — or rather what we think we know — about diet, inflammation and the development of prostate cancer on its head and shine a light on the complexity of studying the association between nutrition and the risk of various chronic diseases.”