Lee Swanson Research Update

Flaxseed Appears to Play Role in Reducing High Cholesterol

November 2010

Research from Iowa State University’s Nutrition and Wellness Research Center (NWRC) suggests that adding flaxseed to one’s diet may decrease high cholesterol, significantly reducing the risk of heart attack, heart disease and stroke.

Excess cholesterol, a fat-like substance found in the body, can result in clogged arteries, a precursor to heart disease.

Although flaxseed is often considered a health food because of its abundance of omega-3 fatty acids, which can prevent heart attacks, the grain has not been established as a way of lowering cholesterol, said Suzanne Hendrich, professor in food science and human nutrition at Iowa State and principal investigator on the study. The study’s results could have a far-reaching impact because of the significant percentage of people with high cholesterol in the nation, she said.

"Finding that flaxseed lignans may lower cholesterol in men with high cholesterol gives these individuals a new option, especially if they are people whose gut microbes are active in converting lignans to the most active forms," Hendrich added.

Specifically, it is the lignans in flaxseed that may help lower cholesterol, Hendrich said. Lignans are a group of chemical compounds found in plants that are known for their protective health effects. These compounds are converted to their bioactive forms by gut microbes. The research was conducted partly to better establish how important microbial metabolism of lignans is to their efficacy.

Hendrich developed the study—along with master’s student Kai Ling Kong and doctoral graduates Zhong Ye, Xianai Wu and Sun-Ok Lee—to determine whether the main lignan in flaxseed, secoisolariciresinol diglucoside, could lower cholesterol.

The study involved 90 people with high cholesterol, but no other underlying health conditions. The participants were divided into three groups, and were randomly assigned to daily consume tablets that contained zero, 150 or 300 mg of flaxseed lignans for 12 weeks.

While the study found that the flaxseed lignans lowered cholesterol in men, it did not produce a significant change in women. Although women did not appear to be affected by the flaxseed lignans, Hendrich said a larger sample of women could have changed the results.

Presented at the American Society for Nutrition Annual Meeting

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