Private MD News

Flaxseed consumption linked to lower cholesterol levels in men

Category: Heart Health and Cholesterol

Older men who suffer from high cholesterol and who are not interested in traditional medication received good news on Tuesday. According to a new study Iowa State University's Nutrition and Wellness Research Center, men may be able to moderately reduce their cholesterol by adding small daily amounts of flaxseed to their breakfast.

In the study, lead researcher Suzanne Hendrich and her colleagues recruited 90 patients suffering from high cholesterol who were otherwise completely healthy. The participants were separated into three distinct groups and were randomly assigned to receive daily tablets containing zero, 150 or 300 milligrams of flaxseed.

After only three months, the investigators found that men who consumed at least 150 milligrams of the nutrient each day lower their cholesterol levels by approximately 10 percent. However, the research team found that women's levels were unaffected by the alternative treatment.

"Because there are people who can't take something like Lipitor, this could at least give you some of that cholesterol-lowering benefit," said Hendrich. "The other thing is, there are certainly some people who would prefer to not use a drug, but rather use foods to try to maintain their health."