Anyone Use Flax Seed Oil ?

Macygrace, since you haven't gotten any responses yet, I thought I'd offer a couple of suggestions.  Flaxseed has been discussed and debated a lot here and elsewhere.  Here are a few sources to start you off.  Of course you can also search here on the BCO chat/discussion groups, but be sure to fact-check any opinions or advice you receive here, as ...  you know what they say about opinions... we all have one!  Best of luck!

http://www.breastcancer.org/search.jsp?terms=flaxseed 

http://www.mskcc.org/mskcc/html/69220.cfm

stage1 I agree completley I have also given it up.

hillck,thanks for the imput.  Very important studies, but, yes, now I am not sure.  Really something to think about.  Let us know what your onc says.  This is a great thread, thanks, marygrace.

hillck, Sounds like you have a great onc.  Not many want to research something for us.  They just typically say "there is not study proving"...

I had been taking 1000mg of flaxseed oil for 2 years before I was diagnosed with BC, ER+.  I am thinking I should stop.  I will email my MO to try for an opinion.

Let us know what your onc says about the flaxseed, as opposed to the flaxseed oil????

Re: flaxseed (not the oil):

One book I read said flaxseed can help if you're on tamox.

My nutritionist's database listed the only contraindication w/ tamox and flax seed is when you take it. i.e. don't take flax 1 hr after or 2 hrs before your tamox. (apparently the flax seeds moves things along the digestive track)

Hi all....I just bought ground flaxseed today, and ate some on my dinner an hour ago! Gaaaah! Most of what I've read (including Dr. Christiane Northrup) says that it is ok to consume, but I want them ALL to say that. I'll keep researching, and I appreciate the links everyone has provided. I'd really like to get to the bottom of this.

The following is a link to search results where I went to Google Scholar and entered flaxseed oil and breast cancer.  I haven't read these articles, but apparently there is quite a bit of info about how flaxseed oil PREVENTS breast cancer and metastasis ...

http://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=flaxseed+oil+breast+cancer&hl=en&btnG=Search&as_sdt=1,6&as_sdtp=on

xxoo

Melissa

hickcl, thanks for sharing this:

He said there are no human studies yet to prove either is effective at preventing bc or making Tamoxifen work better.

You're right. I did a quick google search on flaxseed and tamoxifen and the first 3-4 studies I found were, indeed, studies done on mice.

Has anyone been reading about how flaxseeds work as a lignan and move estrogen out of the body? Arg! I thought I was doing something to help, not hurt.

FWIW, this is the book that says flax helps w/ tamoxifen (and I bumped the tamox-and-flax thread in the hormone room)

http://www.amazon.com/Definitive-Guide-Cancer-3rd-Integrative/dp/1587613581

I used to use Barleans flaxseed oil prior to being diagnosed with BC. I used it mainly in smoothies (about 1 tbl/day). The Barleans was expensive so I went back to using just ground flaxseed. I haven't had the oil since and I now only have the ground seed occasionally as I'm concerned about it's phytoestrogenic effect. I used to have a tablespoon per day in cereal. Now I just have an occasional sprinkle on yogurt.

Did no one check out the link I posted to see that there are actual studies that say flax oil prevents bc and mets?  There are studies. 

xxoo

Melissa

Sorry but Medline Plus is not the National Library of Medicine database of studies which is definitive.

You went to the wrong website. We don't want to look at opinion, we want to be able to look at what was studied in a controlled situation and what the outcome was. I would try to paste the studies here but there are quite a few and that computer code might make it messy. Can you locate the National Library of Medicine online and type in what I suggested?

mollyann, the pharmacist quoted the natural medicine database, which says the research in animal models shows positive results, but the MO's last words, were "sounds contradictory.  May be better to avoid"...the contradictory part was just the fact that the lignans are phytoestrogens and the studies only done on mice.  Like I said before, I am not sure our MO's fully understand the studies.  I agree with you that this might be a really positive supplement to take, but I was looking for the MO's blessing to take it, and I did not get it.  I wonder if any MO will give us his blessing.  Let me know all you find out.  I appreciate any information, my mind is open.

Stage1: There are many so-called databases that provide an INTERPRETATION or OPINION. Those are unreliable. There is much copying from other opinion givers so as to not get into trouble. Doctors are essentially well-meaning practitioners but not really familiar with drilling down to the studies and evidence.

Hillck, I have been to the NIH, and the library there. I was trained to do search studies there when I was first diagnosed many years ago. My doctor told me to look things up there. I didn't know the medical literature was all in one place and searchable and now online. Since you somehow got rerouted out of the National Library of Medicine, try this. Type pubmed.com into your browser. When the search function comes up, type in the search words I suggested previously. I got 20 returns, you may get more or less. Some may be more relevant than others for our purposes.

But at least you can print them up and show your doctor or just follow your own judgement about the preponderance and quality of evidence. Warning!!  If you don't glaze over in the first five minutes you will get addicted to this search engine