Ovarian Cancer May Respond To Omega-3 Essential Fatty Acids
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According to MedlinePlus, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine from the National Institutes of Health, the cause of ovarian cancer is not yet known. Often no symptoms are evident until ovarian cancer is well-advanced. Sometimes there are no indicators in the early stages.
Possible symptoms are abnormal periods, back pain or pain in the lower abdomen. A woman may experience a feeling of heaviness in the pelvic region, nausea or vomiting, vaginal bleeding. She may be subject to unexplained weight gain or loss.
Ovarian cancer is more common in women past the age of 50 though it can occur in younger women. According to Medline Plus, the usual treatment is surgery and chemotherapy treatments.
A July 10, 2011 article from Sciencelatest.com reported, omega-3 essential fatty acids from fish oil may assist in preventing and treating ovarian cancer.
Diabeteslibrary.org has reported, flaxseed may help prevent ovarian cancer. This report was based on an interview with Katherine Tallmadge, M.A., R.D., who is a spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association.
Flaxseed contains alpha-linolenic acid, an omega-3 essential fatty acid. Its protective benefits against ovarian cancer seem to be a result of its abundance of plant lignans which are both fiber and phytoestrogens. The National Academy of Sciences urges women to take 1.1 grams of alpha-linolenic acid every day.
Only some of the alpha-linolenic acid in flaxseed can be converted into docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) which are also omega-3 fatty acids. Fish oil is more effective in this respect than flaxseed.
But Walter Willett, M.D., advocates taking fish oil and flax to reap full benefits of both. Willett is chair of the nutrition department at the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston.
A May 11, 2011 article on Sciencedaily.com reported on research done using chickens and flaxseed in the study of ovarian cancer. The University of Illinois Department of Animal Sciences found that ovarian cancer in hens became less severe and survival rate increased when the hens were fed a diet including flaxseed.
We value and respect the experiences of all of our HERWriters, but everyone is different. Many of our writers are speaking from personal experience, and what's worked for them may not work for you. Their articles are not a substitute for medical advice although we hope you can gain knowledge from their insight.
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