The results of a recent study conducted by researchers at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center in Seattle suggest that using fish oil supplements may reduce women s risk of developing breast cancer by 32 percent. Yesterday, Good Morning America medical contributor Dr. Marie Savard reminded viewers that these results are only preliminary but show promise as a preventive measure against breast cancer.
ACSH staffers were pleased that the media coverage recognized the limitations of the study. "We can hope the companies selling these products do the same. They should act like fish oil salesman, not snake oil salesman," ACSH's Jeff Stier said.
This could be an important study, and it definitely warrants a randomized long-term clinical trial to confirm the results, which is actually now underway and whose results will hopefully become available in the near future, adds ACSH's Dr. Gilbert Ross. It is important that the study takes into account the intake of fatty fish and other dietary sources of omega-3 fatty acids to assess the efficacy of fish oil supplementation.