FLAXSEED – MORE RESEARCH ON BREAST CANCER

This page was last updated: February 16, 2010

FLAXSEED – a very amazing small seed that has been around for centuries. Benefits range from reducing risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes and cancer. Research published in November 2009 have found further mechanisms and links to the flaxseed as a whole with reducing breast tumor growth.

FLAXSEED contains lignans which are phytoestrogenic (like soy able to lower risk of cancer) and antioxidant rich. New study suggests that the lignan SDG or secoisolariciresinol diglucoside has properties which not only reduce the risk for breast tumors, but, in addition promote healthy cell growth or apoptosis. FLAXHULL which is widely marketed for it’s health benefits have been shown to have only a fraction of the whole flaxseed capability to stop tumor growth. This natural shell of the flaxseed has been shown to have fiber, vitamins B12 in the form of Cobalamin and high levels of lignans as well. Lignans have also been found to help boost the immune system of the body.

Studies in the past have shown that flaxseed reduces growth of established human breast tumors in athymic mice or lab mice bred for cancer research unable to reject tumor cells in question. Researchers in this study compared FLAXSEED which have pure lignan levels in the form of secoisolariciresionol diglucoside or SDG to the popular FLAXHULL containing lignan-fraction on breast tumor growth. For 8 weeks the mice were fed flaxseed and another set with flaxhull. Research shows consistent results for both having significantly reducing tumor size. In other words, cell proliferation was inhibited. However, only FLAXSEED significantly promoted healthy cell growth. FLAXSEED and the lignan SDG showed reduction in certain hormone and enzyme mechanisms in estrogen producing cells that would lead to tumors. The FLAXHULL, on the otherhand, revealed a need for larger doses to be effective.

RESOURCE:

Jianmin Chen, Jasdeep K. Saggar, Paul Corey, Lilian U. Thompson; Nutrition and Disease-

Flaxseed and Pure Secoisolariciresinol Diglucoside, but Not Flaxseed Hull, Reduce Human Breast Tumor Growth (MCF-7) in Athymic Mice; Journal of Nutrition, doi:10.3945/jn.109.112508

Vol. 139, No. 11, 2061-2066, November 2009

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