Recent media reports suggest a link between flaxseed oil and prostate cancer. Health-conscious guys may be wondering, "Will I increase my risk for prostate cancer if I take this oil?"

Flaxseed oil is a plant source of omega 3 fatty acids. These special fats have been shown to help reduce your risk for heart disease, fight inflammation and boost the immune system.

Alpha linolenic acid (ALA) is one of the primary omega 3 fatty acids in flaxseed oil. ALA is absorbed by your body and converted into the omega 3's, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) through an enzymatic process. Another source of EPA and DHA is fish oil.

While ALA is a healthy fatty acid, there are reports of high levels seen in some cases of prostate cancer. Additionally, animal studies have shown prostate cancer cells may grow when exposed to alpha linolenic acid. So will eating flaxseed oil cause prostate cancer, or does it increase your risk for it? The key may lie in what type of fats you have in your diet.

Fatty Meat-Based Diet May Increase Cancer Risk

Researchers at Harvard Medical School believe the type of fat in your diet may determine if you'll get prostate cancer.

Scientists found diets with fish oils and/or dairy fats (not including butter) didn't increase the risk for prostate cancer. However, eating a meat-based diet containing high levels of ALA led to an increased risk for cancer. The types of meat consumed were red meat and bacon; also sources of saturated and trans-fatty acids.

Now since flaxseed oil also contains alpha linolenic acid, was an assumption made that eating flaxseed oil causes prostate cancer, or increases your risk for it?

The answer may lie in how you cook your meat. Scientists now know that exposing ALA to high cooking temperatures (such as grilling a big fat juicy steak) releases cancer-causing agents, such as benzene. In fact, it's now believed grilling meat causes cancer.

Is there a possibility the high ALA levels seen in some cases of prostate cancer might have been caused by the consumption of diet high in red meat? Unfortunately, researchers of these studies didn't look at this factor. Meanwhile, the following studies confirm that flaxseed oil doesn't cause prostate cancer.

Studies Show Flaxseed Oil Doesn't Cause Prostate Cancer

Currently, there's not one clinical study showing flaxseed oil causes prostate cancer. Nor are there any studies showing high ALA blood levels cause prostate cancer.

The National Cancer Institute performed a ground-breaking study on alpha linolenic acid and prostate cancer involving over 29,000 men.

They found absolutely no link between increased levels of alpha linolenic acid and prostate cancer. Another study from Norway also found no connection between a dietary intake of alpha linolenic acid and prostate cancer.

The Final Word on Flaxseed Oil and Prostate Cancer

So what can we gather from this research?

• To date, there are no published medical studies linking flaxseed oil and prostate cancer.
• There are conflicting studies linking prostate cancer with high levels of alpha linolenic acid:

• Some studies show high alpha linolenic acid levels and an increased risk for prostate cancer and other studies didn't support this.

• Eating a high fat diet may increase your risk for prostate cancer:

• High cooking temperatures may alter the fat in meat, releasing cancer-causing agents. Alpha linolenic acid (found in certain cuts of meat) releases benzene (a carcinogen) when exposed to high temperatures.

Flaxseed oil is a great plant-source of omega 3 fatty acids. Some people who don't eat fish can take flaxseeds or flaxseed oil supplements to round out their omega 3 intake.

If you're still convinced that flaxseed oil causes prostate cancer, and you need more omega 3's, why not take fish oils, krill oil, or eat at least 1 - 2 servings of freshwater fish per week? This will ensure you're getting adequate levels of omega 3 fatty acids in your diet.

Personally, I think moderation is the key. One doesn't need to gulp down bottles of flaxseed oil to get the health benefits. I usually take a tablespoon or two of flaxseed oil with my protein shakes and also add ground flaxseeds to my morning cup of orange juice. Flaxseed oil is a natural healthy oil and a great way to get beneficial omega 3 fats in your diet.

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