According to a study conducted by the Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Omega-3 fatty acids may lower the risk of breast cancer in postmenopausal obese women. One researcher said this was likely from the fatty acids’ anti-inflammatory effects.

The study mentioned that obesity is a major breast cancer risk factor in postmenopausal women, and scientists believe increased inflammation is an important underlying cause in this population. There have been some epidemiological data to support the correlation, but it has been inconsistent. The suspected cause is the data from normal-weight women obscured the results.

“The higher the breast density, the more likely the woman will develop breast cancer,” said the main researcher.

The study included 266 healthy postmenopausal women with high breast density. To conduct the study the women either received no treatment, the antiestrogen drug Raloxifene, the prescription omega-3 drug Lovaza or a combination of the two drugs.

Most importantly, the results of the study were that at the conclusion of the two-year study, they found that increasing levels of omega-3 in the blood were associated with reduced breast density – but only in women with a body mass index above 29, bordering on obesity.

For more information, read the full study.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/02/160224101025.htm

Razi Berry, Founder and Publisher of Naturopathic Doctor News & Review (ndnr.com) and NaturalPath (thenatpath.com), has spent the last decade as a natural medicine advocate and marketing whiz. She has galvanized and supported the naturopathic community, bringing a higher quality of healthcare to millions of North Americans through her publications. A self-proclaimed health-food junkie and mother of two; she loves all things nature, is obsessed with organic gardening, growing fruit trees (not easy in Phoenix), laughing until she snorts, and homeschooling. She is a little bit crunchy and yes, that is her real name.