Flaxseed May Cut Cholesterol Slightly in Women

September 11, 2002

September 11, 2002 05:23 PM ET

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Flaxseed may help to reduce levels of

cholesterol in the blood of postmenopausal women, researchers report.

Overall, total cholesterol fell in the women by an average of 6%, according

to the report in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism. While

LDL cholesterol fell, so did HDL ( " good " ) cholesterol, resulting in only a

minor reduction in the ratio of " bad " to " good " cholesterol.

Flaxseed is a whole grain that can be found in health food stores and some

supermarkets. It can be sprinkled on food, or is sometimes used in baked

goods, such as muffins or bread. Flaxseed is rich in lignans, a group of

phytoestrogens. These plant-based estrogen-like compounds are associated

with lower levels of total cholesterol and LDL ( " bad " ) cholesterol, possibly

due to their fiber and omega-3 fatty acid content.

In the study, volunteers consumed 40 grams of either ground flaxseed or

wheat daily for 3 months. All 36 women who completed the study took a

supplement containing 1,000 milligrams of calcium and 400 international

units of vitamin D, which helps the body to absorb calcium.

Apolipoprotein B (apo , a cholesterol-carrying molecule that may be a more

sensitive indicator of heart disease risk than cholesterol alone, fell by

nearly 8% among women who consumed flaxseed.

There was no reduction in cholesterol among women who took the wheat

supplement, report researchers, and neither the flaxseed nor the wheat had

any affect on bone metabolism.

" The findings of the present study suggest that flaxseed consumption by

postmenopausal women is effective in reducing...known risk factors of

coronary heart disease, " Dr. Bahram H. Arjmandi from Oklahoma State

University in Stillwater and colleagues conclude.

But more research is needed into the mechanisms, they add.

SOURCE: The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism

2002;87:1527-1532.

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