Fish oil may give protection against skin cancer, British researchers say.
The findings come from a scientific study conducted on healthy volunteers in Manchester.
Researchers said that eating the omega-3 oils found in fish seemed to boost levels of the immune system in the skin – potentially counteracting the ability of sun-light to weaken the skins defences against cancer.
Scientists compared the effects of a light machine on people who took an omega-3 supplement and on those who did not.
Researcher Professor Lesley Rhodes, of Manchester University, UK, said: "There has been research in this area carried out on mice in the past but this is the first time that there has been a clinical trial directly in people.
"It has taken a number of years to get to this stage and the findings are very exciting."
The work has been backed by the Association for International Cancer Research and reported in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
Dr Helen Rippon, of the AICR, said: "Skin cancer has been one of the fastest growing types of cancer, and numbers will likely continue to increase.
"It is always exciting to see research that AIRC has funded generating such promising results, and we look forward to seeing future developments in this area."
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition February 2013 [abstract]
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