Lowering Cholesterol herb linseed effective for men – A report
A new study has indicated that the common herb flaxseed, also known as linseed, could be effective at lowering cholesterol in men.
A team of scientists at Iowa State University in the US have completed a small study which showed that when taken daily by men with high cholesterol, the substance acted to lower cholesterol to safer levels.
The team recruited 90 men and women, all of whom had high cholesterol but no other known health conditions. Participants in the study were give 150mg doses of flaxseed lignans , roughly three tablespoons, once a day. The study lasted for three months.
In 10% of the men who took part, the daily dose resulted in cholesterol reduction. The team lead by Suzanne Hendrich, a professor in food science and human nutrition, did not record the same results in the female section of the volunteer group.
They believe that the common plant may affect cholesterol levels thanks to a conversion that takes place in the gut of the flaxseed lignans into bioactive compounds.
If the findings are indeed true, then the plant may offer an alternative for patients who are reluctant to take statins like Crestor and Lipitor, either because they experience side effects or because their medical history contraindicates them for the drugs.
High cholesterol is one of the most common health complaints in the Western world and each year millions of people are prescribed statins such as Crestor. High cholesterol is strongly associated with strokes, heart disease and heart attacks.
The team are still unsure why the male participants in the study were the only ones to reap the benefits of cholesterol reduction and have recommended that further trials be done.
While not a common ingredient in food, linseed has long been recommended by health food experts. It can be added to food as an oil and linseed can also be used in cooking. Flaxseeds contain high levels of Omega-3 fatty acids, recommended for promoting a healthy heart, and lignin, a type of antioxidant which scientists believe can inhibit certain types of breast cancer.
While the men’s cholesterol did not drop nearly as much as might be expected were they taking statins, the results suggest that linseed might be of benefit to men without sufficiently high cholesterol to merit statin treatment but the potential to develop dangerously high cholesterol.
Hendrich said, “there are certainly some people who would prefer to not use a drug, but rather use foods to try to maintain their health. So this potentially would be something to consider.”
