American scientists have developed animal tests and showed that increasing the omega-3 fatty acid ratio over the omega - 6 acid is very beneficial against prostate cancer. This is why they advise men to consume more omega - 3 natural resources and reduce the intake of omega - 6 foods.

Omega3 fatty acids are found in high amounts in fish, sea food, vegetal products (cereals, seeds, nuts, leguminous products, dark green leafed vegetables, figs), vegetal oils, like soy, flax seed, canola, walnut oil. Fat meat fish (like mackerel, salmon, trout, tuna, sardines, herrings) are richer in omega 3 fatty acids than white meat fish. Omega 6 fatty acids are primarily found in nuts, seeds and vegetal oils, like corn, soy and sunflower oils.

Even if omega - 6 essential fatty acids have also been proved by researchers to have beneficial effects upon our health, the balance between the omega - 3 and omega - 6 acids should be in favor of the former group of essential fatty acids. It is a demonstrated fact that when in our body, the higher amounts of one essential acid (omega 3 of 6) tend to prevail over the other one. Consequently, if our body presents more omega 6 acid levels, the omega 3 fatty acid will be unable to exert its beneficial properties.

The researchers, from the University of California, Los Angeles carried out tests on mice and found that a one to one ratio of omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids was more beneficial against prostate tumors than a diet rich only in omega 6 essential acids. The levels of prostate specific antigen (PSA) decreased with 77% and the risk of prostate tumors with 22% in mice that were on the both omega 3 and omega 6 diet, as compared to those that received only omega 6 foods.

"Our study showed that altering the fatty acid ratio found in the typical Western diet to include more omega-3 fatty acids and decreasing the amount of omega-6 fatty acids reduced prostate cancer tumor growth rates and PSA levels in mice. Corn oil is the backbone of the American diet. We consume up to 20 times more omega-6 fatty acids in our diet compared to omega-3 acids," study author Dr. William J. Aronson stated.

"This study strongly suggests that eating a healthier ratio of these two types of fatty acids may make a difference in reducing prostate cancer growth, but studies need to be conducted in humans before any clinical recommendations can be made," he added.