Top 5 Supplements For Breast Cancer Prevention

As it is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, I felt it appropriate to write a post detailing some of the studies out there showing how supplements may assist in breast cancer prevention, and in some cases breast cancer recurrence.  If you think about it, you have probably been told to do regular breast exams or get a mammogram to prevent breast cancer.  However, this does not PREVENT breast cancer, but rather DETECTS breast cancer.  This post will show studies which suggest certain supplements can actually reduce your risk of breast cancer, thus preventing it.

If you ever have questions regarding the use of these supplements, I always encourage you to have a discussion with your physician.  Feel free to print off the studies I reference and ask your physician to comment on them.  In no particular order, these are the Top 5 Supplements For Breast Cancer Prevention:

1. Fish Oil/Omega-3.  On July 8th, 2010, ABCNews reported on the findings of a study which looked at the effectiveness of fish oil for breast cancer prevention.  The "Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center in Seattle followed 35,016 post-menopausal women who had no history of breast cancer.".  These women were followed for an average of 6 years.  It was found those who used fish oil supplements had a 32% reduced risk of developing breast cancer.  The study was published in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention and was also referenced in this WebMD article.
2. Olive Oil.  The people of Greece have some of the world's lowest rates of heart disease and cancer.  And now studies are showing a direct link to their use of olive oil with regards to these decreased risks. This article from National Geographic outlines a study from 2005 which showed oleic acid (the main fatty acid in olive oil) "can cripple a cancer gene responsible for 25 to 30 percent of all breast cancers.".  Another article in WebMD reported on a study which showed olive oil reduced the risk of breast cancers having the HER2 molecules.  Another major study was begun this year and will last approximately 5 years.  You can also view my previous post on the benefits of olive oil, "How Olive Oil Benefits Your Health".
3. Grape Seed Extract.  In a previous post, "The Top 5 Best Supplements For Your Health", I touted the effects of grape seed extract as it relates to heart disease and cancer.  In fact, studies show grape seed extract actually promotes apoptosis, or self-destruction, of cancer cells (see this Oxford study).  Currently, studies are being undertaken to specifically look at the effects of breast cancer prevention in humans.  However, test tube studies have been promising.
4. Vitamin D.  Back in August and September, I had done a 3-part series on Vitamin D.  You can read part 1, part 2, and part 3 if you haven't seen them yet.  But looking just at cancer risks, the results are quite stunning.  The National Cancer Institute states, "an inverse relationship was found between sunlight exposure levels in a given geographic area and the rates of incidence and death for certain cancers in that area. Individuals living in southern latitudes were found to have lower rates of incidence and death for these cancers than those living at northern latitudes. Because sunlight/UV exposure is necessary for the production of vitamin D₃, researchers hypothesized that variation in vitamin D levels accounted for the observed relationships.".  Furthermore, Vitamin D has shown to create apopotosis in cancer cells.  They also highlighted a study which followed 1300 post-menopausal women who took calcium supplements and 1100IU of Vitamin D every day.  The women taking the supplements showed a 60% reduction in cancer rates.  Dr. Christine Northrup also recommends Vitamin D supplementation as a aid in preventing cancers of all types, including breast cancer.
5. Vitamin E.  The general consensus here is that Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant.  And some cancers have been shown to be the result of free radical damage.  Antioxidants help protect against these free radicals.  When it comes to specific studies regarding Vitamin E, the jury is still out.  However, the Nurses Health Study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine 1993;328: 1444-9, studied 83,234 women for 14 years.  And they found women with a family history of breast cancer who took the highest quantity of Vitamin E showed a 43% reduction in breast cancer as opposed to women with no family breast cancer history (16% risk).

 As someone who has lost a dear friend to breast cancer, I can only hope people look into these preventative measures a little closer.  As you can tell from the studies, I am not suggesting you will never be diagnosed with breast cancer.  However, it appears as though your risks can be decreased.  Please distribute this post via your favorite social media outlet (Twitter, Facebook, etc) and email so we can get the word out.  There's a chance you could help save a life.

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To Your Health.

Scott Huff is a professional marketer of pharmaceutical grade nutritional supplements.  For more information on the specific products he markets, please visit our online store.  And if you are interested in seeing how easy it is to create a residual income simply by helping yourself and other become healthier, take a free video web tour where you can learn about this unique opportunity