London, Jul 9 (IANS): Fish oil supplements could reduce the risk of developing breast cancer by up to a third, a study has found.

Fish oil have long been credited with health benefits such as boosting brain power, but this is the first time they have been linked to a possible reduction in breast cancer cases.

In a study involving 35,000 women, researchers from the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Centre in Seattle, found that those who regularly took the supplements were 32 percent less likely to develop the disease.

"It may be that the amount of omega-3 fatty acids in fish oil supplements are higher than most people would typically get from their diet," dailymail.co.uk quoted lead researcher Emily White as saying.

"Without confirming studies specifically addressing this we should not draw any conclusions about a causal relationship," she added.

The research is published in the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention.