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Fried fish increases the risk of prostate cancer
Last reviewed: 01.07.2025
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Eating salmon and other red fish can reduce the risk of developing prostate cancer, while eating flounder and other lean fish increases the likelihood of developing this oncological disease. This is the conclusion reached by American scientists from the University of Southern California and the California Institute for Cancer Prevention
Previous studies have already shown that red fish has a positive effect on health, due to the presence of unsaturated fatty acids Omega-3. The current study significantly complements other studies - the type of fish and the way it is prepared are very important. Only in this framework can we think about the reduction or increase in the risk of developing malignant neoplasms in the prostate gland.
Scientists analyzed data from 3,000 men who took part in the California Collaborative Prostate Cancer Study (San Francisco, USA). All participants answered questionnaires about the amount, type, and method of cooking the fish they ate. Progressive prostate cancer was diagnosed in 60% of cases.
Having analyzed these data, scientists came to the conclusion that the presence of such types of fish as salmon, mackerel and sardines in the diet reduced the risk of developing prostate cancer, provided that it was cooked at a low temperature (baking, boiling). When cooking fish using high-temperature methods (frying over an open fire, grilling, in a frying pan), an increased risk of developing malignant tumors of the prostate gland was observed.
It turned out that men who ate two or more servings of white fish cooked at high temperatures per week had twice the risk of prostate cancer than those who never ate any fish. However, the scientists found no link between cancer and a diet that predominantly consumed white fish cooked at low temperatures.
It also found that excessive consumption of deep-fried fish (fish fingers and sandwiches) increased the risk of prostate cancer only in Hispanics, but not in whites or African Americans in the United States.
Currently, scientists cannot name the reasons for the above differences between red and white fish. Two theories are proposed for consideration. The first is that carcinogens can form during the cooking of fish at high temperatures, but in dark fish their effect is neutralized by the presence of Omega-3 fatty acids. The second is that when fried in a pan, white fish absorbs more fat than dark fish; this cooking method can change the ratio of good and bad fats. In general, it is too early to give any dietary recommendations, the scientists conclude.
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