Cod liver oil may help fight cancer in three ways. Cod liver oil contains high levels of antioxidants, which may help to reduce oxidative stress. Oxidative stress has been linked to the genesis of many cancers, including breast cancer. Cod liver oil also contains Omega 3 fatty acids, which can help arrest the growth of cancerous tumors. Cod liver oil may also help to diminish chronic inflammation, which many researchers believe may be instrumental in the development of cancer.
Oxidative Stress
Recent research points to a direct connection between oxidative stress and cancer. Oxidative stress refers to cellular damage caused by free radicals -- highly reactive molecules produced by normal body processes such as digestion. According to Michael P. Lisanti, M.D., Ph.D., professor of cancer biology at Thomas Jefferson University, oxidative stress has been implicated as a main driver of cancerous tumor proliferation, particularly in the most widespread types of breast cancers.
Vitamin A
Cod liver oil is very high in vitamin A, an important antioxidant vitamin. According to Dr. Lisanti, antioxidants show a direct impact on the reduction of oxidative stress in the body, which results in diminished tumor growth. Cod liver oil therefore may help combat the accumulation of oxidative stress in the body, which in turn may help to reduce the risk of developing a form of cancer.
Omega 3 Fatty Acids
Cod liver oil also contains high levels of the Omega 3 fatty acids docosahexaenoic acid, or DHA and eicosapentaenoic acid, or EPA. According to Sangmi Kim, Ph.D., of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Omega 3 fatty acids have demonstrated numerous benefits in the treatment of colorectal cancer, including diminished tumor growth, the inhibition of angiogenesis, a basic step in the movement of tumors from the benign to the malignant state, and the ability to arrest metastasis -- the spread of colorectal cancer to surrounding tissue.
Inflammation
Recent research also suggests that chronic inflammation might be directly related to the development of tumors, according to Robert A. Weinberg of MIT's Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research. Inflammation may further the development of premalignant tissue into full-blown cancer cells. Cod liver oil has shown promise in the reduction of inflammation, as well as the prevention of several other cancers, including cancer of the prostate, according to Steven D. Ehrlich, N.M.D. of the VeriMed Healthcare Network.
References
- Eurekalert: Jefferson Researchers Provide Genetic Evidence that Antioxidants can Help Treat Cancer; February 2011
- Eurekalert: Omega-3 Fatty Acids may Reduce Risk of Colon Cancer; Sangmi Kim, Ph.D.; December 2009
- Scientific American: Is Chronic Inflammation the Key to Unlocking the Mysteries of Cancer?; Gary Stix; November 2008
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Omega-3 Fatty Acids; Steven D. Ehrlich, N.M.D.; June 2009
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