Flax Oil - conflicting reports

RE: Flax Oil - conflicting reports

Flax seeds contain lots of lignans - which swell when they absorb water. When I take flax seed (ground in a coffee grinder, and stired into my dandelion coffee) my stomach bloats in the same way it does when I eat other bulky food. But I have no bloating when I take linseed oil.

My understanding is that linseed oil reduces the bloating you get with PMT - perhaps that's what your healthfood shop was referring to?

N

p.s. you know that linseed is another name for flax seed, don't you? For some reason I refer to the seeds as 'flax seeds' ('linseeds' sounds odd), and to the oil as 'linseed oil'. Just in case I confused you!

RE: Flax Oil - conflicting reports

Oh thanks for that - I was taking linseeds last week and couldn't understand how my stomach had bloated it was horrendous.
So the oil reduces the bloating - did you get any side effects when you took the oil and does it help with the mood swings.
I'm sure last week when I had linseeds my mood seemed to go down - could that be right because I certainly felt better when I stopped taking them! Does that mean I'm not suited to them and should I try the oil - bit worried it does the same.

RE: Flax Oil - conflicting reports

Hi Janet

I've searched and I've searched and I can't find it - but I vaguely remember reading somewhere (no idea where!) that linseed suppresses thyroid function. I take linseed and I don't get that effect - and I have lower-than-normal thyroid function. Do a web search and see if you have better luck than me. I take 3 teaspoons of ground linseed (I grind it in a coffee grinder once a week and keep it in a tub in the fridge), and one teaspoon of lecithin, in my morning dandelion coffee.

Another suggestion regarding linseed oil is to try oil-pulling. There is a thread here about it. I did oil-pulling with linseed oil and the results were fabulous. Don't believe all the miracle cures the website and various forums (elsewhere) say that oil-pulling does. It isn't a miracle cure! But what I think it does is allow the oil to be emulsified in your mouth, and absorbed directly through the walls of your mouth. I've changed oils to hemp seed, but will return to linseed oil when this bottle is finished.

N 🙂

RE: Flax Oil - conflicting reports

Hi
Sorry don't understand what oil pulling is - can you explain.
And how do you mean it suppresses thyroid function - is that good or bad?
Must sound like a thickie - sorry.

RE: Flax Oil - conflicting reports

Hi Janet

"Sorry don't understand what oil pulling is - can you explain."

There is a thread here which talks all about it. I could tell you about it, but this thread will do a better job because you'll see all the questions folk have, and the answers that they are given.

[link= http://www.healthypages.net/forum/tm.asp?m=334675&mpage=1&key=oil%2Dpulling&#334675 ]Click here for thread.[/link]

"And how do you mean it suppresses thyroid function - is that good or bad? "

Bad! Your thyroid is what gives you your zip and energy (which is why very obese folk often have minimal thyroid function, and are unable to lose weight). There are lots of foods which folk with poor thyroid function should avoid: unfermented soya products, mustard, broccoli. I've sometimes seen linseed on those lists - but it isn't always there - which makes me question whether it does suppress thyroid function. And it doesn't affect me, which again makes me wonder if it's negative effects are true.

"Must sound like a thickie - sorry."

No, not at all. I'd not heard of oil-pulling before November - and most people still haven't heard of it.

N x

RE: Flax Oil - conflicting reports

Hi
Well I'll do a search on oil pulling but I did search for thyroid and linseeds and like you saw reports that said it did and some that said it didn't - suppose you just have to try it and see. But you said you had low thyroid function and it hasn't affected you - did it help with bloating for you or did you not suffer that?

RE: Flax Oil - conflicting reports

There is a forum here which talks about oil-pulling ([link= http://www.healthypages.net/forum/tm.asp?m=334675&mpage=1&key=oil%2Dpulling&#334675 ]click here[/link]).

"did it help with bloating for you or did you not suffer that?"

If you are talking about abdominal distension (bloating of the intestines/stomach) - then yes it did help because it got rid of (almost totally) my IBS. I am still bloated, but nowhere near as bad as I would be if I still had IBS. I take 3 teaspoons of ground linseed each morning in a big mug of dandelion coffee, and that helps me so much.

If you are talking about PMT-bloating (of face and ankles, and water retention), then yes it does help that a lot too. But I think that the oil is better for that, than the seeds. My belief is that the seeds are 40% oil - so the reason you take the ground seeds is for the fibre (lignan), whereas if you want the effects of the oil you would take the oil instead.

N x

RE: Flax Oil - conflicting reports

Hi
Thanks for the link will check it out and thanks for your info - I've got both kinds of bloating at the moment - pmt (10 days late but think I'm entering menopause but still got sore boobs) and I think I'm also maybe got a touch of IBS because I've been having bad stomach pains and horrendous constipation. I've switched to the oil because of the really bad bloating I had last week with eating the seeds and still drinking the water - all I want is something to take the constipation and bloating away because my stomach is just so swollen.
So will let you know how it goes but you've been a great help -keep posting because you have given me loads of help. Thank you

RE: Flax Oil - conflicting reports

As a holistic practitioner I have been giving my patients flax seed oil for many years in preference to fish oils. The Omega 3 content is much higher in a good flax oil (such as Lambert's), but you would need huge quantities of the seeds to get the equivalent of a capsule of oil, and you would very likely get bloated. I don't use the bottled liquid as it will deteriorate once opened. The essential fatty acids are an essential food for the endocrine glands, of which the thyroid is one. The only circumstances in which flax seed oil could possibly upset the thyroid would be if it was contaminated - another good reason for using capsules. The true definition of linseed oil is in fact industrial grade flax seed, which is what you'll get if you let the bottled liquid lie around for too long.

RE: Flax Oil - conflicting reports

Oh thanks for that - I actually bought some of H & B's but as yet haven't tried it - was a bit worried about the thyroid thing as I'm not too sure if my thyroid is 100% and I bought it bottled because I have to be very careful in what I take due to being very sensitive and having to take a softly softly gently gently approach until my body becomes accustomed to it. So will the bottled oil help with bloating? Could you suggest anything else for my bloating which is both pmt and when I eat? Thanks for you help - greatly appreciated.

RE: Flax Oil - conflicting reports

PS - does it help with fluid retention as I read somewhere where it can make you retain fluid?

RE: Flax Oil - conflicting reports

Have just read that you shouldnt take flaxseed oil if you are pregnant due to its oestrogen ( i think ) properties - anyone else heard this?
seeker

RE: Flax Oil - conflicting reports

Some funny old wives' tales going around here. First let me say that good quality Flax Seed Oil is an exceptionally good hormone regulator. The important thing about oestrogen is balance and flax seed works equally well in the case of excess or depleted oestrogen. There is no need for a gentle approach - 1000 mg. per day from the outset is fine. I have used it with hundreds of patients, even by the way some with extremely underactive thyroids, and there has never been a problem. It is possible that if your bloating is due to fluid retention and if this is partly due to hormonal imbalance that Flax Seed Oil might help in a roundabout sort of way - it certainly won't make things worse. But I would need to do certain tests on a client to know what is causing bloating.
I would advise you to avoid high-street sources of spulements. The quality is often abysmal, and frequently they don't contain what they say on the label. If you are not seeing a holistic practitioner who uses a professional range of products I would order from the Nature's Best website. They are a branch of Lambert's, who make one of the best ranges of professional supplements available - I use their Flax Seed Oil exclusively.
If you want to test out your thyroid look up the Barnes Axillary Temperature Test.
Good Luck.