The comments below reflect the personal experiences and opinions of readers and do not represent medical advice or the views of this website. The information shared has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or health condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical concerns.
Side Effects
Posted by Laura (Orlando, Fl) on 10/28/2012
Hey everyone.. Why is it that whenever I use ground flaxseed in my morning smoothie it seems like I suddenly am six months pregnant yea my tummy just sticks out of nowhere and I am not kidding and also, all my hypothyroid symptoms seem to just come out of nowhere. Help someone.... I am trying to be a little more healthy but it seems like its not working. Does anyone know if flaxseed slows the thyroid down. Please advice. Thank you guys so much
Replied by
Timh (Louisville, Ky, Usa)
10/29/2012
2048 posts
Side Effects
Posted by Kaylan (Phoenix, AZ) on 03/08/2009
Re: Janise from Los Angeles, I am a student about to graduate with a B.S. in Dietetics (on my way to becoming a Registered Dietitian) and I actually just covered this subject: Alpha Linoleic Acid is Omega 3 essential fatty acid. Omega 6 is what we consume too much of in the Western diet and it is what interferes with the function of Omega 3. Naturally we are supposed to consume these two essential fatty acids in a 2:1 ratio, but in our diet the ratio is closer to 20:1. Due to the elevated Omega 6, all those symptoms that you mentioned (i.e. inflammation) are actually aggravated. Omega 3 (alpha linoleic acid) is very important and very beneficial, as it is important for the composition of tissues, membrane phospholipids, retinal photoreceptors, cerebral gray matter, testes and sperm. It also produces eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Studies have shown that increased consumption of omega 3 fatty acid improves a number of conditions and promotes general health. In summary, flaxseed oil is good for you. Your argument appears to be the opposite of what health professionals advocate.
Side Effects
Posted by Janise (Los Angeles, CA) on 09/23/2008
Although Flaxseed oil can prove somewhat beneficial, it does more harm than good!!! It is like killing a fly with a sledge hammer.
Flaxseed oil is one of the highest foods containing ALA - Alpha Linolenic Acid. ALA is bad for the body!
ALA is a wet blanket for the enzymes that control the eventual flow of Omega 6 essential fatty acids towards the eicosanoid hormones. It knocks out both good and bad eicosanoid hormones. Knocking out the bad ones is good but knocking out the good ones as well creates a breeding ground for cancers!!!
This work is found by Dr. Barry Sears who wrote THE ZONE diet book. He won a Nobel prize in science for his discovery of the eicosanoid hormones and how they function. His advice to keep healthy hormones is to avoid all foods especially Flaxseed oil, which contains ALA. ALA is also found in egg yolks, walnuts, corn and canola oils as well as, Beef, pork and ham..
ALA foods, suppress immune system, increase inflamation, decrease oxygen flow and endurance and constrict airways while also causing blood platelet aggregation.
You may want to rethink your Flaxseed oil remedy. Like I said its like killing a fly with a sledge hammer.
Side Effects
Posted by Joyce (Joelton, Tn) on 09/23/2008 490 posts
Response to Janice: I think your error is in picking out one chemical alone and ignoring all the other fail-safe chemicals that our creator put into this plant. Most plants (even the non-hybrids) have a few harmful chemicals but other chemicals included in them make them safe to eat or take as herbal remedies. Hence my pokeweed berries that are supposed to be poison, but 40 years past first beginning to appreciate their good qualities, I have nothing but good to say about them although they are supposed to be poison.
Side Effects
Posted by Barbara (Scottsdale, AZ) on 02/03/2007
★☆☆☆☆WARNING!
I was taking 9 capsules a day of flax seed oil which was recommended on the bottle. My fasting blood sugar went to 115-120. I have not taken the flax in two weeks and it is down to 100.
Skin
Posted by Mariana (Billings, Mt) on 05/10/2010 11 posts
★★★★★BETTER BUT WITH SIDE EFFECTS
Hello, I just wanted to write and let you know what I used to cure my eczema. I developed an allergy-induced eczema on my legs when I started trying to eat dairy again (I knew I had been allergic before but thought I might have grown out of it). I quit eating the dairy after a few months, after developing a nasty case of eczema. It cleared up somewhat, but never completely went away for almost four years. It was especially bad on my inner thighs, and I would scratch it at night and it would bleed and get sores. I had to go on very strong steroids and antibiotics for it several times.
Then, this year I bought some cinnamon flavored flax oil (COLD PRESSED), at the health food store in the refrigerator section. I started taking 1 or 2 tablespoons a day. Usually I would take one in the morning and another at night. I noticed after about a week that my eczema was looking and feeling much smoother, and by the end of three weeks it was COMPLETELY gone. I couldn't believe it, and I couldn't believe I had suffered with it so long when the remedy was so easy.
I continued to take the flax oil for a few months, but I noticed it also had a side effect for me. I am a 26-year-old female and, the flax oil at that dose made my periods come much closer together, sometimes only two weeks apart. So I stopped taking the flax oil, and they went back to normal.
Now I am taking canola oil and another oil mix that is high in omega-3 acids, and the eczema has not returned. I think it was the high dose of omega 3-s that cured me, but maybe it was also something specific to the flax oil? I always ate quite a bit of fish, and that didn't seem to help any (which is also high in omega 3's). Anyway, if I start having any problems with eczema again I will know what to do. An extra monthly cycle or two is definitely worth clearing have clear eczema-free skin!!!!
Skin
Posted by Kelly (Cincy, Oh) on 10/07/2009
To those of you who are considering adding flaxseed to your daily diet: I met a man who was in his 60's and looked 40'ish. he said that in his morning health shake (there are 100's of recipes out there, just google it) he added flaxseed he had set in distilled water the night before (no need to grind) the water softens the seeds and the oil leaches out. only do a couple of days ahead to keep from being rancid. NOT EVERYONE HAS A COFFEE GRINDER SO YOU CAN STILL ADD FLAX SEED BY THIS METHOD. GOD BLESS! flax seed adds omega-3 oil as is found in fish oil. 2-4 tbsp of flax seed 8oz.distilled water in fridge w/ lid.
Skin
Posted by June (Wichita, Kansas) on 08/03/2008
★★★★★
Hi everyone. I wanted to send my big YEA for flax seed oil and the skin. I take flax every so often, but lately I decided to up my daily dosage and take it consistently after all the great things I have been reading about it. I am taking 1 Tablespoon of organic flax (highest lignan count) 3 times a day for a couple of weeks and the effects have been phenomenal. My skin, all over my entire body, is glowing and youthful. My hands, which always look dry and cracked, look a thousand times better. My face looks different too, hard to explain how... better texture to the skin, tighter. It's not my imagination, a few of my friends have made comments about my glowing face. I guess I am having these effects because there is a lot more moisture, lubricating the skin - ? I look pretty good for my age (45) because I exercise regularly, getting a good sweat as often as I can, and eat a low calorie, low-fat diet when possible. But the flax seed oil has really been an amazing remedy for the skin.
I would recommend that people buy bottles of flax that are already refrigerated at the store because they don't contain those questionable preservatives. I bought an expensive bottle of organic flax oil at GNC (not refrigerated) a month ago and it tasted TERRIBLE! Rancid as can be... Then I went to Whole Foods and read through all the brands in the refrigerated section. They pretty much looked the same so I choose an organic brand that had a manufactured date of July, 2008.
I take my tablespoon straight up each time. In the morning before I eat, then lunch, then right before I go to sleep. Not bad tasting at all.
Skin
Posted by Linda (Melbourne, Australia) on 11/11/2007
★★★★★
Hi all, I have been taking flaxseed oil for about 3mths 4 tablespoons a day so i decided to use it as a mosturiser on my face, i do suffer from acne as well im 40 and never looked my age after about a week i noticed a difference in my skin and it started to clear up my acne its been 4 weeks now and i am so happy my skin glows and looks so healthy, people have started to comment how good my skin looks, as well as the flaxseed oil i use vco with it, it helps me maybe it could help others, you can find it in a fridge in health food shops cost $11 and last for couple months. Hope others find it good as well.
Skin
Posted by Marilyn (Snellville, GA) on 07/11/2007
★★★★★
At 52 my skin looks great - very few wrinkles - and I am reluctant to admit it - I'm a sun worshipper. I have taken 2 tbs of flaxseed oil a day for years and I also use it with any cheap face lotion. I rub in (currently) Suave lotion with a small amount (dime size) of flaxseed oil. Could be genetics - but what the heck - flaxseed is still good for you.
Skin
Posted by Deirdre (Los Angeles, CA)
★★★★★
I started taking Flax Seed oil as an Omega 3 supplement. However, almost immediately I noticed that my skin became noticeably softer and more supple. I increased the dosage to 3x a day (my system had to get used to this, mind you, as it is a laxative) and I swear the wrinkles on my face are much less noticeable!
Tinnitus
Posted by Seetal (Brampton, Ontario)
★★★★★
i started taking ground flaxseed and psyllium husks 1-1 tsp mix together and mix in warm milk drink it quickly b/4 go to bed at night. glucosmine capsule 2 a day 1 in the morning 1 at night. i noticed my ears are not noisy any more. I had this problem for 10-12 years
Ulcers
Posted by Maja (Port Murray, New Jersey) on 06/27/2008
★★★★★
Ground Flax seeds cured my ulcers. When blood appears in my stool, I take 1 - 2 TBSP freshly ground flax seeds with hot water. I always take it in the morning and before dinner. The best if you take in on empty stomach.
