The anticancer effects of Vitamin D and omega-3 PUFAs in combination via cod-liver oil: One plus one may equal more than two
Medical Hypotheses, 06/14/2011
Dyck MC et al. – The authors compare the potential for use of omega–3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (ω3–PUFAs), Vitamin D combinatorial supplementation both in prevention and treatment of disease. Some data also suggests that the timing of supplementation modifies the effects of Vitamin D and ω3 fatty acids.
- In the past number of years, the anticancer activities of omega–3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (ω3–PUFAs) as well as Vitamin D have been intensively studied, but separately.
- Supplementation of Vitamin D and omega–3 PUFA via cod–liver oil, one of few natural sources of both of these molecules, may have additive and possibly synergistic anticancer effects.
- Cod–liver oil has been used effectively to treat diseases such as Rheumatism but has not been studied as an anticancer agent.
- This review examines the prominent, striking and possibly important similarities between the anticancer effects of ω3–PUFAs and Vitamin D metabolites as well as the possible overlapping signaling pathways by which they may operate.
- The mechanisms that will be examined in this review fall broadly under the categories of being anti–inflammatory, pro–apoptotic, anti–angiogenic and anti–proliferative.
