Monday, February 15, 2010

Breast cancer Anti depressants and Fish oils

While growing research shows the SSRI antidepressants (the ones most people take) don’t work beyond that of a placebo another blow occurred to these drugs when a recent (this week) article in the British Medical Journal found the depression drugs paroxetine and probably fluoxetine led to a reduction in the effectiveness of tamoxifen, and an breast cancer mortality for those being treated. The researchers estimated that for every 20 women with treatment overlaps of 41%, and one extra death for every 7 women overlapping 100%.

Interestingly these drugs have been around and used together for decades so how many woman have died in the interim?

By contrast another article this week in the British Journal of Cancer found that Supplements of the omega-3 fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) which can also be used to reduce depression and many other chronic illnesses, improve outcomes for breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy with no adverse side effects. The study was of advanced cancers with spreading (metastasis) and overall survival of women was 22 months and went to 34 months in women with the highest DHA levels in their blood.
There is a large amount of research on the benefits of using supplements alongside allopathic cancer treatments despite what the chemo therapists say. The research is there that supplementing helps the treatment and minimises the side effects.

5 comments:

  1. Hi Alena, Great to have you on board :)

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  2. Thank you for sharing these studies on the health benefits of fish oils. Interesting to read that study how fish oils helped reduce depression and outcomes for breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. Could the anti-inflammatory component seen in omega 3 fatty acids have a positive effect on cancer? It would be interesting to see further research conducted in this area.

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  3. There are many studies being conducted with Omega 3 and its benifits in reducing inflammation. It is as simple as using google scholar and thousands of studies will pop up. I am constantly reading and being informed about omega 3 and will always keep my blog informed with the new and interesting studies I read.

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  4. i know that one of the ad is luvox but have no idea what the other is - any hints as i am on ssri's.

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  5. "It is as simple as using google scholar and thousands of studies will pop up. I am constantly reading and being informed about omega 3 and will always keep my blog informed with the new and interesting studies I read"

    That's all it takes to be a researcher & expert? Guess I'm wasting my time studying science in a university.

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