Regularly taking fish oil supplements could help protect against skin cancer, according to a study that suggests omega-3 fats help boost the immune system.
(http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/02383/omega-3_2383152b.jpg)
Researchers at Manchester University found that volunteers given omega-3 supplements were better able to ward off the potential harmful effects of sunshine, than those given a dummy pill.
The academics emphasised their study was by no means conclusive proof of a protective effect, but said it “adds to the evidence that omega-3 is a potential nutrient to protect against skin cancerâ€.
The study, the first to investigate the effects of omega-3 on sun protection in humans, compared the skin’s immune response to strong sunshine in 79 volunteers.
Half were given 4g of omega-3 daily - the equivalent of a portion and a half of oily fish like salmon or mackerel - and half were given a placebo pill.
They were then exposed to the equivalent of either 8, 15 or 30 minutes of summer midday sun in Manchester using a special light machine.
[Source - Internet]
Fernaz Narin Nur,
Lecturer, Dept. of CSE.