Score One For Supplements

Researchers at the University of Washington monitored 35,000 women over five years and found that fish oil supplements offered significant protection from breast cancer. The study, published in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, describes how fatty acids derived from fish reduce the concentration of certain inflammatory factors that are thought to increase the risk of breast cancer. Even though there will be unfortunately over 290,000 new cases of breast cancer diagnosed in 2015, this study is good news for everyone, including those without breasts. For years, there has been skepticism whether supplements confer the same benefits as whole-food nutrient sources. This is a clear example of a supplement providing an obvious and potent value at a time when the prospect of eating fish due to declining populations and increased contamination can seem less and less appealing.