Flaxseed Oil Information
Flaxseed oil is derived from the hard, tiny seeds of the flax plant. Like fish
oil, flaxseed oil contains an omega-3 fatty acid = alpha-linolenic acid
(ALA). In addition to alpha-linolenic acid, flaxseed oil also contains
omega-6 fatty acids. Both acids are essential to health. A typical dosage of
flaxseed oil is 1-2 tablespoons, however, some manufacturers market
flaxseed oil in capsules.

What are the health benefits of flaxseed oil?
Flaxseed oil has been shown benefits on lowering heart diseases by
reducing cholesterol levels, high blood pressure and slowing down
atherosclerosis. Flaxseed oil may also benefit people suffered from bipolar
disorder, cancer, acne and rheumatoid arthritis.

What is flaxseed oil good for?
How may flaxseed oil benefit our brain?
Phospholipase A2 hydrolyzes fatty acids from membrane phospholipids:
liberated omega-6 PUFAs are metabolized to prostaglandins with a higher
inflammatory potential. Intervention trials in human subjects show that
omega-3 fatty acids have possible positive effects or benefits in the
treatment of various psychiatric disorders. [1] Anyway, more scientific
supports are needed for this claim.

How may flaxseed oil benefit people suffered from high
cholesterol, heart disease and diabetes?
Alpha-Linolenic acid (Flaxseed oil) significantly decreased hepatic
cholesterol but no effect was observed on heart and kidney cholesterol
levels. [2]

Alpha-linolenic acid (flaxseed oil) may reduce cardiovascular risk through
platelet function and inflammation. [3]

Spray-dried milk formulations supplemented with flaxseed oil are probably
effective to decrease the risk factors associated with cardiovascular
disease. [4]

Studies in rats suggest that alpha-linolenic acid (flaxseed oil) may be more
effective in preventing ventricular fibrillations than eicosapentaenoic and
docosahexaenoic acid. [5]

Dietary flaxseed oil exerted antiarrhythmic effects during
ischemia-reperfusion in rabbit hearts, possibly through shortening of the
action potential. [6]

In healthy horses supplemented with flaxseed oil, platelet aggregation was
not altered. [7]

However, flaxseed oil did not increase the effect of dietary therapy in
correction of glycemia, hypertension and atherogenic lipid levels. [15]

How may flaxseed oil benefit people suffered from cancers?
BREAST CANCER
MICE Mice were injected with human breast cancer cells and fed basal
diet. Excisions of tumor were performed, when the tumors reached 110
mm.  Flaxseed oil supplementation was found to achieve a greater
reduction in lung and total metastases. [10]

In a study of mouse, flaxseed oil combined with melatonin caused a
significant decrease in the number and size of tumors. High doses of
flaxseed oil could also delay in the growth of mammary cancers. [11]

Supplementation with flaxseed oil for 13 weeks after carcinogen
administration was found to reduce established mammary cancer size in
rats. [12]

HUMAN In a study of 16 premenopausal women, flaxseed supplementation
was observed to significantly increase the urinary 2:16alpha-OHE1 ratio
which indicated flaxseed may be chemoprotective in premenopausal
women. [13]

COLON CANCER
Flaxseed oil is effective in preventing colon tumor development when
compared with dietary corn oil in rats. [14]

LIVER CANCER
The PGE2 concentrations were decreased in livers and tumours of rats
fed flaxseed oil. [16]

Spontaneous tumorigenesis in the liver of male C3H/He mice bred for 50
wk was suppressed by being supplied with flaxseed oil. [17]

How may flaxseed oil help renal diseases or injuries?
Flaxseed oil slowed down early fibrosis progression in renal injury of mice.
[9] In a study of rats, flaxseed oil feeding produced hepatic and renal
enrichments of n-3 PUFA and an increase in C18:>C18 PUFA ratios. The
flaxseed oil-based diet was associated with lower mean cystic. Thus,
flaxseed oil feeding moderates renal injury and the consumption of
flaxseed oil-based products may provide health benefit. [18]

Flaxseed oil may improve bone health and lower risks of UVB
induced skin injury.
Dietary level of alpha-linolenic acid (10% flaxseed oil) results in modest
improvements in some bone outcomes in a study of mice. [8]

Anti-inflammatory activity of dietary flaxseed oil was demonstrated in
UVB-irradiated hairless mice. UVB-induced prostaglandin E2 (PGE2)
production was significantly lower in rats fed an ALA-rich (flaxseed oil) diet
after UVB irradiation. [19]

What are the flaxseed oil side effects?
Up to the date this article is prepared, serious flaxseed oil side effects
have not been reported. Flaxseed oil appears to be a safe nutritional
supplement when used as recommended. However, people who are at
high risk of cancer should not take flaxseed oil, unless they are under
physician's advice.

Flaxseed oil is not safe when it is heated for a long time. The
heated flaxseed oil side effect include liver enlargement or even liver
damage. The fume from heated flaxseed oil may cause cancer. While, high
dose flaxseed oil side effects include non-formed feces, depression,
anorexia, mild colic, high serum glucose and bilirubin levels. [based on
animal studies]. Flaxseed oil side effects, based on research findings are
summarized as follows:

Cooking flaxseed oil fumes may increase lung cancer risk. [20]

Horses given large doses of flaxseed oil had nonformed feces by 24 hours
after the first administration of flaxseed oil in a study. During or after two
weeks flaxseed oil supplementation, some horses also developed
depression, anorexia, mild colic, high serum glucose and bilirubin levels.
[21]

Flaxseed oil turned to be toxic when it was heated at high temperatures.
During gestation and lactation, female rats fed with heated flaxseed oil.
Newborn rats found dead and their livers were heavier and higher in lipid
content. [22] .

[1] Haag M. Essential fatty acids and the brain. Can J Psychiatry. 2003
Apr;48(3):195-203 [2]  Yang L et al alpha-Linolenic acid but not
conjugated linolenic acid is hypocholesterolaemic in hamsters. : Br J Nutr.
2005 Apr;93 (4):433-8. [3] Mozaffarian D. Does alpha-linolenic acid intake
reduce the risk of coronary heart disease? A review of the evidence.
Altern Ther Health Med. 2005 May-Jun;11 (3):24-30; quiz 31, 79. [4]
Ramaprasad TR et al, Supplementation and delivery of n-3 fatty acids
through spray-dried milk reduce serum and liver lipids in rats. Lipids. 2004
Jul;39(7):627-32. [5] Ristic-Medic D et al, Alpha-linolenic acid* and
cardiovascular diseases. Med Pregl. 2003;56 Suppl 1:19-25. *flaxseed oil.
[6] Ander BP et al, Dietary flaxseed protects against ventricular fibrillation
induced by ischemia-reperfusion in normal and hypercholesterolemic
Rabbits. J Nutr. 2004 Dec;134(12):3250-6. [7] Hansen RA et al, Effects of
dietary flaxseed oil supplementation on equine plasma fatty acid
concentrations and whole blood platelet aggregation. J Vet Intern Med.
2002 Jul-Aug;16(4):457-63. [8] Cohen SL et al, Flaxseed oil and
inflammation-associated bone abnormalities in interleukin-10 knockout
mice. J Nutr Biochem. 2005 Jun;16 (6):368-74. [9] Sankaran D. Modulation
of renal injury in pcy mice by dietary fat containing n-3 fatty acids depends
on the level and type of fat. Lipids. 2004 Mar;39(3):207-14. [10] Chen J et
al Flaxseed and its components reduce metastasis after surgical excision
of solid human breast tumor in mice. Cancer Lett. 2005 May 2 [11]Rao GN,
Effect of melatonin and linolenic acid on mammary cancer in transgenic
mice with c-neu breast cancer oncogene. Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2000
Dec;64(3):287-96. [12] Thompson LU et al, The effect of flaxseed oil may
be related to its high alpha-linolenic acid. Carcinogenesis. 1996
Jun;17(6):1373-6. [13] Haggans CJ The effect of flaxseed and wheat bran
consumption on urinary estrogen metabolites in premenopausal women.
Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2000 Jul;9(7):719-25. [14] Dwivedi C
et al, Chemopreventive effects of dietary flaxseed oil on colon tumor
development. Nutr Cancer. 2005;51(1):52-8. [15] Alekseeva RI et al,
Effects of a diet including linseed oil on clinical and metabolic parameters
in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Vopr Pitan. 2000;69(6):32-5. [16]
Jelinska M., Effects of dietary linseed, evening primrose or fish oils on fatty
acid and prostaglandin E2 contents in the rat livers and
7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene-induced tumours. Biochim Biophys Acta.
2003 Apr 17;1637(3):193-9. [17] Thuy NT et al, Comparative effect of
dietary olive, safflower, and linseed oils* on spontaneous liver
tumorigenesis in C3H/He mice. J Nutr Sci Vitaminol (Tokyo). 2001
Oct;47(5):363-6. *flaxseed oil [18] Ogborn MR et al, Dietary flax oil
reduces renal injury, oxidized LDL content, and tissue n-6/n-3 FA ratio in
experimental polycystic kidney disease. Lipids. 2002 Nov;37(11):1059-65.
[19] Takemura N et al, Dietary, but not topical, alpha-linolenic acid
suppresses UVB-induced skin injury in hairless mice when compared with
linoleic acids. Photochem Photobiol. 2002 Dec;76(6):657-63. [20] Metayer
C. et al Cooking oil fumes and risk of lung cancer in women in rural Gansu,
China. Lung Cancer. 2002 Feb;35(2):111-7. [21]Schumacher J et al,
Clinical and clinicopathologic effects of large doses of raw linseed oil* as
compared to mineral oil in healthy horses. J Vet Intern Med. 1997
Sep-Oct;11(5):296-9.*flaxseed oil [22] Potteau B. Influence of heated
linseed oil* on reproduction in the female rat and on the composition of
hepatic lipids in young rats Ann Nutr Aliment. 1976;30(1):67-88.*flaxseed
oil
What is flaxseed oil good for? What are the
benefits of flaxseed oil?     
Flaxseed

Why is flaxseed meal getting popular? What is its benefits? Flaxseed meal was found
to be more beneficial on some chronic conditions such as high triglycerides and liver
steatosis than soy protein meal, in a study of rats.

Flaxseed or Flaxseed oil, which one offers better health benefits? Flaxseed oil alone
in human subjects had no effects on the lipid profiles in some studies.

Why are lignans so important in flaxseed?
ingestion of flaxseed rich in lignans (matairesinol and secoisolariciresinol) improves
glucose control and insulin resistance.

What are the health benefits of flaxseed oil?
Flaxseed oil has been shown benefits on lowering heart
diseases by reducing cholesterol levels, high blood pressure and slowing down
atherosclerosis.
Discuss with your doctor before taking any alternative medicine. This article is for
reference only, it is not a medical advice. All rights reserved. Do not copy this article to
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