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Tuesday, November 1, 2016

Bogus Study says Omega-3 & Fish Oil Supplements increases risk of Prostate Cancer

 Original Post Date: 7/16/2013

Just when you think you've went a couple days without hearing some asinine statement from some bogus study that wasted loads of money just to make the drug companies look better, you get bombed with one of the most ridiculous statements of the year that concerns health supplements and the poor, polluted life known as seafood.
I don't even know where to start, really, other than I'm wondering what fueled these bogus studies. We are either dealing with some major promotion of this anti-fish oil movement in hopes more people will buy cholesterol-lowering drugs or other prescription drugs for blood pressure, heart health, whatever, or we are dealing with utter stupidity - or both!

Many of you have heard of the recent proclamations made on the News, online, etc., about how certain "folks" are trying to link the Omega-3 fatty acids that are found in fish, seafood, etc., and from Fish Oil supplements and all the ones that look like 'em, Krill Oil, and so on, to an increased risk of prostate cancer in men.

As soon as I heard this, I couldn't even believe it was allowed to hit the media. I mean, even people who are not very health-conscious are aware of the fact that constantly eating fatty foods, fast foods, fried foods, trans fat, burnt meat, sodium nitrite, charcoal-grilled foods on a regular basis, and whatnot, definitely isn't good for your digestive system, colon or, for males, your prostate. But, and I mean a big ol' butt of a but, eating lean meat, white meat, and fish or seafood is normally a good thing (outside of the ones with vegetarian beliefs, of course). Omega-3 fatty acids are very well known for their anti-inflammatory properties and for being good for your heart along with many other things. There are way too many articles written out there speaking of such Omega-3 health benefits and, since I don't feel like rewinding back to primitive times, there is no need to discuss those particular aspects here.

However, I must say, the first thing I thought of when I heard about this dimwitted study, is the Mediterranean Diet. It has been long established that people, not that I do, who follow a Mediterranean Diet (which is high in Omega-3, by the way) often leads to lower cancer rates and healthier hearts, just to mention a couple benefits.

Before anybody comments on this post, you might need to visit the following links, for a refreshment. First up, is an article about the baloney study entitled "Omega-3 fatty acids may raise prostate cancer risk," and you can find it here: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-204_162-57593293/omega-3-fatty-acids-may-raise-prostate-cancer-risk/ (link is no longer active - how convenient)
I like one of the comments on that page from a guy that didn't fall for this bogus study, that said: "This study is both ridiculous and reckless! There is no correlation from this study with increased intake of omega-3 supplements and prostate cancer. How can anyone conclude that a .02 difference in omega-3 in plasma between a diseased population and a healthy population correlates with increased risk of prostate cancer? Patients that have prostate cancer have been told by their urologist, oncologist, cardiologist, GP and Optometrist to take omega-3 fish oil. This is the obvious reason why the omega-3 was higher in their blood than the healthy control group. Hopefully people don't stop taking their fish oil because of this. Many good studies show the protective nature of EPA and DHA for all aspects of health including prostate health. I am sure the media will have another spin to talk about very soon."
Another comment that I liked on that page, was: "Big Pharma is losing millions of dollars due to supplements and alternative medicine. This year they made up their mind to attack supplements and this is just the beginning. Their plan started with the book "Do you believe in Magic?" which tries to persuade everyone that supplements and alternative medicine is fake and a pure placebo effect. Stay awake people, "Sick Care" is looking to keep you sick..."
Hey, read the cool link that guy dropped off, here: http://www.naturalnews.com/041154_fish_oils_scientific_study_science_fraud.html

Next up, read what I dug up within seconds after going straight for the throat of the matter by searching about the Mediterranean Diet online. A couple links, just to get you started: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19051189 and a another small page, here: http://www.prostate-report.org/mediterranean.php (link is no longer active)
Of course, there are many more, some more credible than others, but the point is, the bogus study that hit the news and online media a few days ago, left many people shaking their heads. The main reason why I even started this post, was because I was curious as to how many people fell for it, what they thought about it, and/or whatever else the readers wanted to share about this subject.

To me, it is blatantly obvious why these types of studies even get attention. Now, I will say this, in the event that the BS study has any merit, is that outside of people with existing prostate cancer that are already taking omega-3 supplements, people who use canola oil (which contains omega-3, also) for example, may be frying foods left & right - which is well known for not being a good thing. Yes, I'm guilty of it too, especially during garden season when I seem to be frying okra, squash and green tomatoes on a regular basis. Also, many folks that eat fish, often deep fry those suckers at will. Many of you know what else comes with a fish fry, right? Yes, greasy, deliciously fried hush puppies, fries, and so on. In a thumbnail, I'm saying the study is totally bogus and there is no way, in my opinion, that eating healthy foods or taking Omega-3 supplements endangers your health. The only risk I see with Omega-3, whether it be from seafood or supplements, is the heavy metals and polluted waters. At least with the supplements, if you choose to buy a certain type, you can get a cleaner version that is supposedly filtered and mercury free - if you can believe the label, that is.

Side Note: When it comes to prostate cancer, many studies have shown that a diet low in animal fat, processed meats, charbroiled and/or over-cooked meats, helps lower your risk for this type of cancer. Taking aspirin (preferably low-dose aspirin) on a regular basis is also thought to lower your risk for this particular cancer along with many other types.

---End of Post "Bogus Study says Omega-3 & Fish Oil Supplements increases risk of Prostate Cancer"

Update [9/25/2015]:
As we should all know by now, the whole idea that the omega-3 in fish oil supplements are linked to prostate cancer is completely bogus. However, what the original study didn't study, was a possible link from rancid oil found in certain poor-quality supplements and the effects it may have on prostate health. I checked on this after realizing a few weeks ago that many of the fish oil products found on the market are rancid. Would you regularly consume rotten fish? How about rotten fish oil hidden within a coated pill?
It would probably take another page for me to go into further detail about this, along with how you could easily check your fish oil for spoilage, ways to delay the oxidation of omega-3 oil (refrigerate your fish oil), etc., but I'll leave it up to you to perform the additional research. For starters, maybe you could start your search by using the keywords "rancid fish oil and prostate health," or something along those lines. Either way, omega-3 is not to blame, and that previous bogus study was obviously flawed. Cheers!

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