A growing library of the omega-3 research we're following — summarized and categorized so you can find what matters to you.
In two small trials, daily krill oil supplementation was linked to reduced skin water loss and improved hydration and elasticity compared to placebo, with effects tracking omega-3 blood levels.
In a meta-analysis of six trials, omega-3 supplementation significantly increased weight and quality-of-life scores in advanced lung cancer patients with cachexia, though lean body mass change was not significant.
In a UK Biobank study of over 253,000 adults, higher blood omega-3 and omega-6 levels were linked to modestly lower overall cancer risk, except for prostate cancer, where omega-3 showed a slight positive association.
A higher blood ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids was linked to greater risk of all-cause, cancer, and cardiovascular death in over 85,000 UK adults.
In 39 cancer patients on chemotherapy, an omega-3 rich nutritional drink was linked to increased skeletal muscle mass over 56 days.
Lung cancer patients with depression who consumed more omega-3 fatty acids reported better physical and emotional functioning, plus less insomnia and constipation, than those on a routine diet.
In lab and animal models, breast cancer stem cells relied heavily on a fat-making enzyme (SCD1), and omega-3 fatty acids (EPA/DHA) reduced this enzyme's activity and slowed cancer stem cell growth.
In mice and liver cells, omega-3 fatty acids reduced liver fat and blood lipids by lowering miR-34a, a molecule linked to fat storage genes.
In adults with prediabetes, combining omega-3 fatty acids with plant sterols for 12 weeks improved triglycerides, fasting blood sugar, insulin resistance, and HbA1c more than placebo.