Do Flaxseeds Really Help Disease?

What is Flaxseed?


Flaxseed also known as linseed(binomial name: Linum usitatissimum)is a member of the genus Linum in the family Linaceae. It is native to the region extending from the eastern Mediterranean to India and was probably first domesticated in the Fertile Crescent. It is an annual plant growing to 1.2 m (3 ft 11 in) tall, with slender stems. Various parts of the plant have been used to make fabric, soap, dye, paper and medicines. Flaxseeds come in two basic colors: brown and yellow or golden.



Nutritional benefits of flaxseed

Flaxseeds are rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids are a polyunsaturated
a fatty acid, essential for normal retinal function, that influences various metabolic pathways, resulting in lowered cholesterol and triglyceride levels inhibited platelet clotting, and reduced inflammatory and immune reactions. They also contain high levels of dietary fiber including lignans, which have an abundance of micronutrients. They are also a good source of folate and vitamin B6 as well as the minerals magnesium, phosphorus, and copper.


What health issues does flaxseed help you combat?

Flaxseed is known to help with many health issues such as:

Constipation

Flaxseed has high levels of soluble fiber.


Cancer

Flaxseeds are very rich in lignans. These lignans appear to protect against breast cancer, colon cancer, and prostrate cancer. Lignans are a type of fiber.


High blood pressure

Flaxseeds are abundant in alpha-linolenic acid (ALA , an omega-3 fat. And in a study, ALA-rich foods lowered blood pressure slightly -- probably because this omega-3 fatty acid helps relax blood vessels, allowing blood to move more freely through arteries.


Diabetes

Flaxseed for diabetics is a low glycemic food: you may have heard of low glycemic foods they are foods that help stabilize blood sugars. Flaxseed benefits diabetes because it is an excellent low glycemic food and flax will help stabilize blood sugars.



Arthritis

Because flaxseed is high in omega-3 fatty acids it is helpful to help fight inflammation which is usually the cause of arthritis. It helps reduce joint pain and joint swelling.



Clinical Studies

Flaxseed-fed chickens shed light on ovarian cancer

ScienceDaily (2010-05-11) -- In the race to find answers about ovarian cancer, researchers now have something to cluck about. The researchers have been using the chicken as a model to study this deadly disease and have recently discovered that a diet enriched with flaxseed decreases severity of ovarian cancer and increases survival in hens. ... > read full article


Nutr Cancer. 2010 May;62(4):533-42.
The effect of secoisolariciresinol diglucoside and flaxseed oil, alone and in combination, on MCF-7 tumor growth and signaling pathways.
Saggar JK, Chen J, Corey P, Thompson LU.

University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5S 3E2.
Abstract

Flaxseed (FS), an oilseed containing high amounts of the phytoestrogen lignan, secoisolariciresinol diglucoside (SDG), and n-3 fatty acid, alpha-linolenic acid-rich oil (FO), has been shown to inhibit the growth of established human breast tumors (MCF-7) in ovariectomized (OVX) athymic mice. However, the major FS component responsible for this effect and the mechanism(s) of its action are unclear. Hence, this study determined, in a 2 x 2 factorial design, the effect of SDG and FO, alone or in combination, on the growth of established human estrogen receptor positive (ER+) breast tumors and the potential mechanism(s) of its action. OVX mice with established ER+ human breast tumors (MCF-7) were treated for 8 wk with basal diet (BD, control) or BD supplemented with SDG (1 g/kg), FO (38.5 g/kg), or SDG + FO. All treatments reduced the tumor growth, but SDG had the greatest effect primarily through reducing tumor cell proliferation rather than increasing apoptosis. SDG had a main effect in the reduction of PS2, BCL2, and IGF-1R mRNA expression, whereas FO had a main effect only in PAKT reduction. SDG alone also lowered the ERalpha, ERbeta, EGFR, BCL2 mRNA, and PMAPK protein, indicating that its effect involves the modulation of the ER- and growth factor receptor-mediated signaling pathways.

PMID: 20432175 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]



J Am Coll Nutr. 2003 Apr;22(2):157-64.
Dietary flaxseed meal is more protective than soy protein concentrate against hypertriglyceridemia and steatosis of the liver in an animal model of obesity.

Bhathena SJ, Ali AA, Haudenschild C, Latham P, Ranich T, Mohamed AI, Hansen CT, Velasquez MT.

Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Bldg. 307 Room 315, Beltsville, MD 20705, USA. bhathens@ba.ars.usda.gov

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Soy protein and flaxseed meal have been reported to have beneficial effects on many chronic diseases in humans and animals. The primary objective of the study was to evaluate the beneficial effects of soy protein and flaxseed meal on hypertriglyceridemia and liver steatosis associated with obesity and diabetes. We compared the effects of dietary soy protein and flaxseed meal with that of casein on plasma and liver lipids in a genetic model of obesity, type II diabetes and insulin resistance, namely the SHR/N-cp rat.

METHODS: Lean and obese phenotypes of SHR/-cp rats were fed AIN 93 diets containing 20% of energy from casein (control), soy protein concentrate or flaxseed meal for six months. Plasma was analyzed for total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, triglyceride and total protein. Liver was analyzed for steatosis by light microscopy after staining samples with Hematoxylin-Eosin and Oil-Red-O.

RESULTS: In lean rats soy protein and flaxseed meal significantly decreased plasma total cholesterol (26.0% and 20.3% respectively) compared to casein. In obese rats flaxseed meal had significant cholesterol lowering effect compared to control rats (41%). Soy protein significantly lowered both plasma LDL-cholesterol and HDL-cholesterol in lean phenotypes while in obese phenotypes flaxseed meal significantly lowered LDL-cholesterol and HDL-cholesterol compared to casein-fed rats. Flaxseed meal also significantly lowered plasma triglyceride in both lean and obese rats compared to casein fed rats (33.7% and 37% respectively). There was significantly greater fat accumulation in livers of obese rats than lean rats (200%) regardless of dietary protein type. Flaxseed meal significantly lowered fat deposition in livers of both lean and obese rats compared to rats fed casein or soy protein. Dietary component(s) present in flaxseed meal or soy protein responsible for hypolipidemic effects is not clear.

CONCLUSIONS: The marked hypotriglyceridemic and hypocholesterolemic effects of flaxseed meal may have important therapeutic implications in patients with hypertriglyceridemia and hypercholesterolemia and deserve further study in humans with these disorders. Flaxseed meal supplementation may provide a new therapeutic strategy to reduce hypertriglyceridemia and fatty liver.

PMID: 12672712 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]



What people are saying about flaxseed online

http://earthclinic.com/Supplements/omega-three.html

http://curezone.com/forums/fm.asp?i=1273266

Adding flaxseed to your diet is very easy. You can sprinkle it in your foods such as your: cereal, pancakes, waffles, smoothies, cornbread, muffins, ground meat(burger, turkey, or chicken) and oatmeal. The best part about it is you won't even know it's there because you can't taste it.Golden Flaxseed: Nature's perfect nutritional powerhouse is a great way to start including flaxseed in your diet on a daily basis. It's just one more thing to add to your health arsenal. It's fast and easy to get the many nutritional health benefits that flaxseeds have to offer.