Flax Seed Pills

[HandyAndy]

So I was at the store today and I saw some flax seed capsules and I said why the hell not, and picked up 200, 1000mg pills.

I heard this stuff is a pretty good supplement, what are the benefits and all?

PS: Oh god these pills smell like sh*t

 

[I-tallionStallion]

They have similar benefits to fish oil...but just not as good.

Here read this - Omen's article is good = http://www.sosuave.net/forum/showthread.php?t=127608

 

[penkitten]

i hear they lower your blood pressure, and a friend of mine puts them in her horse feed to make the horses have shiny coats!!

 

[EFFORT]

So I was at the store today and I saw some flax seed capsules and I said why the hell not, and picked up 200, 1000mg pills.

I heard this stuff is a pretty good supplement, what are the benefits and all?

PS: Oh god these pills smell like sh*t

Based on the research I had to do, taking flax seed oil in the cap form can increase your risk of prostate cancer. Taking it in the oil form or seed form is ok, but just not in the cap form. This is only for men, women are fine taking them in any form. So probably best to just pass those off to your mom/sister/gf/female

 

[Heart Break Kid]

Based on the research I had to do, taking flax seed oil in the cap form can increase your risk of prostate cancer. Taking it in the oil form or seed form is ok, but just not in the cap form. This is only for men, women are fine taking them in any form. So probably best to just pass those off to your mom/sister/gf/female

Really? Gel capsules? Why is that? Anyway, yes, it smells terrible so get them down quick. I use a website to record my diet (Fitday) so I just use them to bump up my omega 3. I have little medicinal knowledge when it comes to supplements but it seems to add a glow to my skin. It is supposed to be effective for heart disease too. Those two are good enough for me.

 

[HandyAndy]

Based on the research I had to do, taking flax seed oil in the cap form can increase your risk of prostate cancer. Taking it in the oil form or seed form is ok, but just not in the cap form. This is only for men, women are fine taking them in any form. So probably best to just pass those off to your mom/sister/gf/female

Damnit! Your right

Recently, several studies have been published that seem to indicate that taking flax seed, or flax seed oil, might exacerbate or even cause prostate cancer.

Probably the most damning of these was the dietary study in Uruguay that found that those with the highest intake of ALA (alpha-linolenic acid, an omega-3 fatty acid precursor found at high levels in flax seed) had a 440% increase in their risk of getting prostate cancer compared with those at the lowest level.

Therefore, ipso facto, since flax seed has a high concentration of ALA, it should be avoided by anyone who has prostate cancer or is worried about getting prostate cancer

Ive also read stories of flax seed curing certain death patients, as in curing "you have xxx time to live" patients, to normal health. Another story I heard was flax seed de-crystallized a mans bladder who had bladder cancer, and was cured of it...

Well Ill stick to my fish oil I guess

 

[EFFORT]

Something apparently is changed on a molecular level when its put into the cap/gel form. I'd just stick to taking fish oil in the cap/gel form

 

[wolf116]

What about ground flaxseed? I use it as a fibre supplement.

 

[simon]

What about ground flaxseed? I use it as a fibre supplement.

If you grind it yourself from whole seeds it should be ok. Pre-ground flaxseed will probably have the same problems as the oil in that the fatty acids will oxidise really easily.

 

[wolf116]

If you grind it yourself from whole seeds it should be ok. Pre-ground flaxseed will probably have the same problems as the oil in that the fatty acids will oxidise really easily.

I do grind them myself. What makes the oil oxidise? Heat? Air? Maybe the grinding process would create too much heat.

I've heard people say to soak them in water for 24 hours prior, then add it to your shakes.

 

[simon]

I do grind them myself. What makes the oil oxidise? Heat? Air? Maybe the grinding process would create too much heat.

I've heard people say to soak them in water for 24 hours prior, then add it to your shakes.

You just need air, but heat will speed up the process. The polyunsaturates in fish oil are similarly unstable, that's why bottles of quality oil are flushed with nitrogen, refrigerated and have antioxidants like vitamin E and rosemary extract added. I doubt that many brands of flax oil go to the same measures to prevent rancidity.

I'd think that the oxidation caused by grinding would be minimal and not enough to worry about, you just need to avoid the oils and pre-ground seeds that sit on the shelf at ambient temperature for who knows how long having been processed using who knows what industrial methods.

From wikipedia:

"Flax seeds are chemically stable while whole, and milled flaxseed can be stored at least 4 months at room temperature with minimal or no changes in taste, smell, or chemical markers of rancidity.[4] Ground flaxseed can go rancid at room temperature in as little as one week.[5] Refrigeration and storage in sealed containers will keep ground flax from becoming rancid for even longer."

Soaking is most likely used to decrease the anti-nutrients such as digestive enzyme inhibitors that are present in most seeds and nuts. That's fine, but the whole seed is still indigestible and will just pass straight through you, so you still need to grind them.

 

[wolf116]

nice

 

[Quiksilver]

woops

way back when I had a large bag of flaxseeds... I just used to sprinkle the seeds straight over my bowl of oats in the morning. I suppose it was good insoluble fibre if nothing else...

 

[Throttle]

What makes the oil oxidise? Heat? Air?

simon has the money answer, but just to clarify the mechanism: oxidation -> the consequences of exposure to oxygen. rust is oxidized iron, blue-ish copper roofs & statues are oxided copper, etc etc. same thing with fatty acids, except that some are particularly prone to oxidation (esp. polyunsaturated, and most esp. omega-3 polyunsaturated) while others resist it, especially those that are solid at room temperature (saturated & artificially hydrogenated).

in general with respect to fats, exposure to oxygen is bad, exposure to moisture is bad, refrigeration is good, exposure to heat (esp. above room temperature) is bad.

 

[Warboss Alex]

Flax oil whether in liquid or pill form is to be avoided, and fish oil always preferred as an EFA source (actually, fish oil is essential). Ground or whole flaxseeds are fine though especially as a means of adding fibre to your diet.