Flaxseeds
Reduces IGF-1 in rats but failed in people.
Also known as: Ground Flaxseed, flaxseed, ground flaxseeds
Active Compounds
Bioactive compounds found in Flaxseeds, based on research from longevity science.
- Lignans
Source: How Not to Age
- Dietary fiber
USDA data: flaxseeds are high in dietary fiber
Source: How Not to Age
- Alpha-linolenic acid
Dietary intake of linolenic acids is commonly via canola, soybean, sunflower, flaxseed and corn oils; ALA from flaxseed oil, canola oil and nuts; eicosapentaenoic acid, alpha-linolenic acid and docosahexaenoic acid from salmon and trout fish, flaxseed oil
Source: Nutrition, Food and Diet in Ageing and Longevity
- Omega-3 fatty acids
Major sources of omega-3 fatty acids are flaxseed and seafood; Seeds/nuts (walnuts, flaxseed, soya bean, canola) recommended as omega-3 sources
Source: Nutrition, Food and Diet in Ageing and Longevity
- ALA
Nuts and flaxseed provide nonmarine omega-3 (ALA)
Source: Outlive
Health Benefits
Health conditions and aging processes that Flaxseeds may influence, based on the source research.
Reduces Risk Of
- High blood pressure
Mechanism of blood pressure reduction is through reduction of oxylipins
Source: How Not to Age
- Breast cancer
Thompson 2005: dietary flaxseed altered tumor biological markers favorably in breast cancer; lignans associated with reduced breast cancer risk (Buck 2010)
Source: How Not to Age
- High cholesterol
Dietary flaxseed independently lowers circulating cholesterol beyond cholesterol-lowering medications alone (Edel et al. 2015)
Source: How Not to Die
- Peripheral Artery Disease
Dietary flaxseed lowers cholesterol in patients with peripheral artery disease beyond medication effects (Edel et al. 2015)
Source: How Not to Die
- Aging
Source: The How Not to Age Cookbook
Improves
- Menopause symptoms2 teaspoons ground daily
Two daily teaspoons of ground flaxseeds reduced menopausal symptoms equivalent to hormone therapy
Source: How Not to Age
- High cholesterol
Flaxseeds improve LDL cholesterol, artery function, blood pressure, CRP, Lp(a), blood sugar, and weight
Source: How Not to Age
- Wrinkles
Listed among interventional data on foods for wrinkles with a positive result
Source: How Not to Age
- High blood pressure
Potent antihypertensive action of dietary flaxseed in hypertensive patients | Meta-analysis (Ursoniu 2016) showing flaxseed supplementation reduces blood pressure
Source: How Not to Age
- Constipation
Multiple RCTs (Soltanian 2018, 2019; Sun 2020) showing flaxseed effective for constipation management
Source: How Not to Age
- Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia
Zhang 2008: flaxseed lignan extract improved BPH symptoms
Source: How Not to Age
- Skin Aging
Flaxseed and borage oil supplements modulated skin condition in women
Source: How Not to Age
Protects Against
- Prostate cancer3 tablespoons/day
Within just those few weeks of eating 3 tablespoons a day of flaxseed, cancer-cell proliferation rates lowered and cancer-cell clearance increased; Flaxseed supplementation (not dietary fat restriction) reduces prostate cancer proliferation rates in men presurgery.
Source: How Not to Die
- Breast cancer1 tablespoon ground flaxseed per day
A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial found that women consuming muffins with flaxseed witnessed their tumor-cell proliferation decrease, cancer-cell death rates increase, and c-erB2 scores go down.
Source: How Not to Die
- Menopause symptoms
Lignan-rich oilseeds such as flaxseed oil interact with faecal microbiota and through modulation of enterolignans act as substitute for human oestrogen, reducing menopausal symptoms
Source: Nutrition, Food and Diet in Ageing and Longevity
Addresses
- Gut Dysbiosis
Fiber source for constipation and bowel movements
Source: Young Forever
Biological Mechanisms
How Flaxseeds works at a cellular level.
- PromotesLowers IGF-1
Flaxseed supplementation reduced plasma IGF-1 levels in rats; human results less clear
- PromotesReduces inflammation
Meta-analysis: flaxseed interventions reduce circulating inflammatory biomarkers
- PromotesImproves Endothelial Function
Khandouzi 2019: flaxseed improved flow-mediated dilation in coronary artery disease patients
- SupportsDampens estrogen effects by blocking estrogen receptors
Flaxseed lignans are phytoestrogens that dampen the effects of the body's own estrogen, considered first-line therapy for menstrual breast pain.
- SupportsLowers Estrogen Levels
A daily tablespoon of ground flaxseeds can extend a woman's menstrual cycle by about a day, meaning fewer periods and less estrogen exposure over a lifetime.
Dosage Recommendations
Specific amounts mentioned in the research literature.
- 2 teaspoons ground dailyfor Menopause symptoms
Two daily teaspoons of ground flaxseeds reduced menopausal symptoms equivalent to hormone therapy
Source: How Not to Age
- a few tablespoons dailyfor High blood pressure
Ground flaxseeds induced one of the most potent blood-pressure-lowering effects ever achieved by a dietary intervention—15 systolic and 7 diastolic points in 6 months.; Flaxseeds as blood pressure treatment
Source: How Not to Die
- equivalent of 2 teaspoons ground flaxseeds dailyfor Breast cancer
Flaxseed muffins reduced tumor-cell proliferation, increased cancer-cell death, and lowered c-erB2 cancer aggressiveness scores in breast cancer patients within 5 weeks.; Flaxseeds and reduction of breast cancer risk
Source: How Not to Die
- 1 tablespoon dailyfor Dampens estrogen effects by blocking estrogen receptors
Flaxseed lignans are phytoestrogens that dampen the effects of the body's own estrogen, considered first-line therapy for menstrual breast pain.
Source: How Not to Die
- 1 tablespoon dailyfor Lowers Estrogen Levels
A daily tablespoon of ground flaxseeds can extend a woman's menstrual cycle by about a day, meaning fewer periods and less estrogen exposure over a lifetime.
Source: How Not to Die
- 3 tablespoons/dayfor Prostate cancer
Within just those few weeks of eating 3 tablespoons a day of flaxseed, cancer-cell proliferation rates lowered and cancer-cell clearance increased; Flaxseed supplementation (not dietary fat restriction) reduces prostate cancer proliferation rates in men presurgery.
Source: How Not to Die
- 3 tablespoons/dayfor Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia
Men given the equivalent of about three tablespoons of flaxseeds a day experienced relief comparable to commonly prescribed drugs like Flomax or Proscar; A study found dietary flaxseed lignan extract improved symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia.
Source: How Not to Die
- 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed per dayfor Breast cancer
A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial found that women consuming muffins with flaxseed witnessed their tumor-cell proliferation decrease, cancer-cell death rates increase, and c-erB2 scores go down.
Source: How Not to Die
Tips & Recommendations
Eat one tablespoon of ground flaxseeds daily
Source: How Not to Die
Recipes with Flaxseeds
Sources
- How Not to Age
- Nutrition, Food and Diet in Ageing and Longevity
- Outlive
- How Not to Die
- The How Not to Age Cookbook
- Young Forever