Research
Micronutrients & recovery
High intake of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) is associated with an increased risk of high-grade prostate cancer, whereas EPA and DHA show protective or neutral effects.
If you are concerned about prostate cancer, relying on high doses of flaxseed or ALA supplements may not be beneficial and could potentially increase risk for high-grade disease. Focus on marine sources of EPA and DHA, which have shown protective effects in studies, rather than high ALA intake.
ModerateQualifiesMEDIUM confidence
Of the questionnaire based studies, 4 found positive associations between ALA intake and prostate cancer risk... In contrast, the single study that measured prostate tissue levels of ALA found a negative association between ALA status and risk of prostate cancer.
Why this rating
Observational studies show mixed results; some show positive association, others no association. In vitro/animal data is inconsistent.
Source
Are all n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids created equal?
Breanne M. Anderson et al. · Lipids in Health and Disease · 2009
narrative_reviewCited 332×
Read the paper This is one finding among thousands. Every one is graded and traced to its source, so you can see what the evidence actually supports. Browse the research →