Flax Hull Lignans Plus

Contents

Introduction History of Flax What is Lignan Availability Usage Available Literature Questions & Comments Newsletter Notes User Testimonials

We are now being supplied the Flax Hull Lignans by the originator (the only originator) of this product who is headquartered in the United States. Previously we ordered from a supplier in Canada who was simply a distributor. The label is different from the previous version; it is the same product, same quality.

Introduction

For many years scientists have been studying the flax seed and its oil. After recognizing the beneficial effects of adding flax to the diet, researchers began to look at the healing components of the seed. The main substance identified as having a profound effect on health is the “lignans” found in the flax shell, which is also called SDG (Secoisolariciresninol diglycoside).

This article appeared in HSI Alert, the newsletter of Health Sciences Institute:

Concentrated Flax Hull Lignans

It was one of those moments that makes working for HSI (Health Sciences Institute) so rewarding and exciting. I had received an email out of the blue, telling me about a new discovery with results that were nothing short of astounding . . . Stage 4 cancer patients cancer free within two months. Tumor metastasis reduced by 82 percent.

A human study in which 31 percent of cancer cells were flat out killed in thirty days. In another study, mice fed this substance ended up with half the tumors of the control group.

Oh, and the incredible results weren't limited to cancer. People with Type 2 diabetes have stopped needing shots of insulin. Men with enlarged prostates have started sleeping through the night.

This intriguing email was from Wendy Selvig of the AIDS Research Assistance Institute -- a non-profit organization in Mansfield, TX. And as much as Wendy's email got my heart racing, it was tempered with a strong dose of skepticism. With HSI's worldwide reputation for uncovering the best health breakthroughs, we receive word of new products every single day, and we are extremely careful about choosing only the very best to introduce to you.

So I immediately picked up the phone and gave Wendy a call. And the story she told me -- of an all-natural disease-killing dynamo backed up by some very impressive science -- was astounding. But it was the source of this miracle cure that just about made me drop the phone.

The latest breakthrough in cancer treatment is . . . flax?!

Wait, wake up; I can hear you snoring. Of course you've heard of flax seed. Nothing new there, right? But, this isn't the same flax seed you've been seeing on the health food store shelves. In fact, it's not flax seed at all. The breakthrough that takes aim at cancer cells like a heat-seeking missile is Concentrated Flax Hull Lignans.

Concentrated Flax Hull Lignans are not flax seeds. Rather, they are concentrated directly -- using a special process -- from flax seed shells, or hulls, which typically don't make it into the bags of flax seed in the store. Which is a shame, because it turns out the vast majority of the disease fighting lignans in the flax seed are located in the hull that encases the seed.

The nutrients contained in flax seeds are highly concentrated in the shells -- one teaspoon of Concentrated Flax Hull Lignans contains the nutritional equivalent of two gallons of flax seed. Yes, gallons. And flax seed oil? Forget it. There are practically no lignans contained in the oil. You might be wondering what these lignans are exactly. Lignans are a group of chemical compounds found in plants. They're one of the major classes of phytoestrogens (you might have seen that word before in discussions about soy), which are chemicals that act as antioxidants. Flax seed is the richest source of lignans in the plant kingdom, containing up to 800 times more than any other plant source. There are 27 different lignans in the flax seed and scientists believe they all work together to provide their amazing health benefits.

The major lignan in flax seed is called secoisolariciresinol diglucoside (SDG). It's actually a lignan precursor, which means its power isn't unlocked until it is metabolized by your body. In the intestines, SDG becomes two lignans. These lignans have the power to wipe out cancer, as well as do battle against diabetes, shrink enlarged prostates, boost the immune system . . . in fact, as my research went on, I found there's not much these lignans can't do.

A New Process Unlocks This Superfood's Disease-fighting Prowess

Though scientists have known for some time that the flax seed hulls have an amazing nutritional profile, they've been at a loss as to how to unlock those nutrients. Finally, a farmer invented a chemical-free method of mechanically separating the lignan-rich hulls from the rest of the flax.

Concentrated Flax Hull Lignans boast a pure lignan content of up to 65%. Each scoop of the product contains 150-300 mg of SDG per serving. That's 70 times the amount of SDG typically contained in the same amount of traditional ground flax seed.

In addition to their lignan content, flax seed hulls contain high levels of Omega-3s, as well as off-the-charts antioxidants. To put it in perspective -- kale has one of the highest ORAC values (this is the measurement of a food's antioxidant content) at 1,770 per 100 grams. Concentrated Flax Hull Lignans? They come in at a whopping 19,600 per 100 grams. The hulls also contain 4.3g of fiber and 2.8g of protein in each tablespoon. And while the nutritional value of Concentrated Flax Hull Lignans is certainly a bonus, the true value of the product is in its promise as a potent cancer killer.

The evidence I found for SDG's effects on cancer is nothing short of incredible. The most exciting study was carried out in Canada on a group of postmenopausal women with newly-diagnosed breast cancer.

Each day for a month, the women in the test group ate a flaxseed muffin containing a predetermined concentration of SDG. After only one month, the growth of the cancer cells was reduced by 34.2%. Even better, 31% of cancer cells were completely killed, and the expression of the cancer growth receptor Her2 (c-erB2) decreased by 71%.2 Her2 is part of a family of genes that help to regulate cell growth. Some breast cancers, for reasons no one really understands, undergo a gene amplification. So, instead of having two gene copies of the Her2 gene as in a normal cell, there are multiple copies.

This results in cell growth regulation going haywire. Tumors grow more quickly, are more aggressive, and are less sensitive to chemotherapy. This can also occur in other cancers such as ovarian cancer and stomach cancer. It seems that SDG is able to hinder this process considerably.

Driving Cancer Cells to Mass Suicide

In two studies on breast cancer cells implanted into immune deficient mice, flax lignans again proved deadly to cancer. Both tumor growth and metastasis were significantly reduced. In one of the studies, metastasis to the lungs was reduced by 82 percent. The average number of tumors was also considerably lower in the test group than in the control group.

The promising studies don't stop at breast cancer. A study in California demonstrated that SDG reduced risk of endometrial cancer in some women by 32 percent. This reduced risk was most evident among postmenopausal women who consumed high levels of both isoflavones and lignans. Other studies have shown similar reduced risk for uterine and ovarian cancers.

A clinical trial in Canada found that higher dietary lignan intake was linked to considerable reduction in colorectal cancer risk. And, according to studies with human colon cancer cells, lignans stunt the growth of tumor cells and actually drive them to what can only be described as mass suicide.

Supplementation with SDG reduced tumors significantly in mice with melanoma. The average number of tumors in the control group was 62, while the average number in the groups of mice receiving SDG was around half that. Tumor size was also decreased.

The American Cancer Society and the FDA acknowledge the cancer-fighting power of flax lignans. The Mayo Clinic says flax seed lignans may inhibit the growth of some breast cancers, and the American Cancer Society cites a study in which the growth rate of cancer cells was slowed in men suffering from prostate cancer.

Perhaps most surprising of all is the support flax lignans have gotten from, get this, the FDA. Apparently even the FDA can't miss a sure thing. They have stated that flax seed lignans have anti-tumor activity and are potentially the richest source of phytoestrogens, and that their significant ability to prevent cancer is recognized by the National Cancer Institute.

A Survivor's Tale: Concentrated Flax Hull Lignans Beat Back Cancer for 'Hopeless' Cases

Personally, I find that one thing speaks even more loudly than the many exciting studies I've talked about so far. And that is the words straight from the mouths of people who have seen their lives changed as a result of including flax lignans in their diets.

A 52-year-old woman started taking Concentrated Flax Hull Lignans two years after she was diagnosed with bone cancer. At that point, she was only able to walk with crutches, and painfully at that. After just one month with the lignans, she stopped taking her pain medication, ditched the crutches, and found her energy level returning to normal.

And then there's the story of 84-year-old Tony. Last September, he was told his lung cancer was so advanced that he wouldn't make it to Christmas. His daughter-in-law was distraught, knowing her daughter's December wedding would be a sad event without him. She learned about the Concentrated Flax Hull Lignans from a friend and had some sent to Tony.

Come December, he was a happy guest at his granddaughter's wedding. When one of his doctors found out that he had been treating his cancer with Concentrated Flax Hull Lignans, she became angry with him. She was convinced that the cancer had spread throughout both lungs and his esophagus. She thought more aggressive steps should have been taken.

However, the doctor had to eat her words when a scan showed the cancer had not spread and actually was reduced to one tiny nodule in his lung. This was after Tony had been taking the Concentrated Flax Hull Lignans for only six months.

These are just two of the many stories that demonstrate the incredible healing power of flax lignans.

If its power against cancer isn't enough, that's just the start

Amazingly, the scientific evidence for Concentrated Flax Hull Lignans doesn't stop at its cancer fighting abilities. Diets rich in foods containing plant lignans have long been associated with reduced risk of cardiovascular disease.

In a 12-year study of Finnish men, it was found that those with the highest intake of plant lignans were significantly less likely to die from cardiovascular disease than their counterparts who ate the least amount of foods containing plant lignans.8

Flax lignans have also been shown to suppress the development of atherosclerosis (chronic inflammation of the arteries due to an accumulation of plaque) in a study on rabbits. The development of atherosclerosis in rabbits treated with the lignans was reduced by 34.4 percent.

The lignans also lowered LDL cholesterol and raised levels of HDL cholesterol.9 In a study concerning Native American postmenopausal women, it was found that flax seed lowered LDL cholesterol by 10%.10 Mind you, that was just with flax seed, not the nutritionally rich hulls.

There is discussion in the scientific community that flax lignans may help to lower sugar levels in people with diabetes. While there are no specific studies to this effect, people who are living with diabetes have been vocal about the results they've seen taking Concentrated Flax Hull Lignans.

One woman noticed that her blood sugar has been regular, and that she's been feeling healthier in general.

A 26-year-old man who was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes a few years ago has been struggling to manage his illness ever since. Unable to keep his blood sugar down, he watched helplessly as it regularly spiked to 600, despite taking 40 units of insulin with every shot. Two weeks after he began including Concentrated Flax Hull Lignans in his diet, he noticed a change in how he felt. Now, his blood sugar stays under 200, and he hasn't had to give himself a shot in two months.

Finally, no more late-night bathroom trips

If you’re living with an enlarged prostate, you know what agony it can be. A recent study demonstrated that flax lignans could reduce prostate size. Rats given the human equivalent of 50 mg per day of SDG (remember, Concentrated Flax Hull Lignans contains up to 300 mg per serving) had significantly smaller prostates than those without the SDG supplementation.

The SDG didn’t just stop prostate growth––it actually helped reduce the size of the prostate.11 Lee, who describes himself as having a “bad prostate,” has been using Concentrated Flax Hull Lignans for a couple of months.

He has been making less and less trips to the bathroom in the middle of the night, and says he generally feels better. His wife is happy, too with Lee getting so little sleep, he’d been “a real grouch,” and she jokes that she may keep him if the Concentrated Flax Hull Lignans keep working! G.E. wrote about her husband, Hugh, who suffers from both an enlarged prostate and irregular heartbeat. She was amazed when, after only two weeks, there was a complete reversal in Hugh’s nightly mroutine. She said he doesn’t get up more than once a night, and his heart has been beating steadily.

Previously a candidate for a pacemaker, Hugh reports his doctor has not mentioned the surgery since he started taking the Concentrated Flax Hull Lignans. Rather, his doctor was flat-out astonished at his progress, stating he’d never seen such a dramatic improvement. At 71, Hugh is now “bouncing along and mowing and putting up hay and working with his horses and cattle.”

Though there are no conclusive studies concerning flax lignans and prostate cancer, there are a few that are promising. In a trial using mice, flax inhibited the growth and development of prostate cancer. In a study of 25 men who were scheduled for prostatectomy, supplementation with flax brought significant changes in serum cholesterol, total testosterone, and the free androgen index. Researchers concluded that flax lignans may be a very beneficial food for men battling prostate cancer.12

Fight the flu with a supercharged immune system

All of what I’ve just reported was enough to convince me to buy my own supply of Concentrated Flax Hull Lignans. But, as I delved even deeper, I began to uncover more amazing benefits to a diet that includes flax lignans.

The effect of flax lignans on the immune system is well documented. The AIDS Research Assistance Institute, which sells the Concentrated Flax Hull Lignans, is a nonprofit organization. All of the proceeds from the sale of the product go to bringing it to orphanages and clinics in Africa, where HIV and AIDS run rampant. What they’ve seen there is nothing short of incredible.

Children who were drastically underweight are gaining both weight and energy, and aren’t getting the colds and flu infections they once constantly suffered from, according to Emma Fishlock, a nurse working in Swaziland. These children are rising from their deathbeds to return to school.

In a 90-day anecdotal test on 100 people with HIV (75 percent exhibiting full AIDS symptoms), 97 percent reported positive health changes, with energy and appetites increasing. Most amazing is the fact that, after 6 weeks, 28 percent had viral loads drop to non-detectible levels. Their super-charged immune systems were fighting the virus like they never had before.13

And it works against another virus, too… As an HSI member, you know that flu shots don’t actually do much for preventing the flu, and at their worst are actually harmful. And flu drugs? Forget it! The virus builds resistance almost as soon as the drugs are put on the market. In 2005, 14.5 percent of flu viruses were resistant to major flu drugs. That might not sound like a lot, but compare it to the fact that only 1.9 percent of flu viruses were resistant just one year earlier.

Luckily, it seems flax lignans can do the same thing for influenza that they are doing for the HIV virus in Africa. When a virus enters the cells of the body, it stimulates hormones that activate the gene for p53. When this gene is activated, it actually induces virally infected cells to shut down, thereby preventing the virus from spreading. If this is activated shortly after infection, further viral replication is completely stopped.

Based upon recent studies, influenza virus infections can be stopped in this way. Flax lignans, through a series of interactions with the inner workings of the body’s cells, can increase the level of p53 in cells. Long story short, flax lignans can actually help to both prevent flu infections and fight those that already exist.

And the amazing abilities of flax lignans don’t end there, Canadian study also suggests that SDG may have a therapeutic role In treating lupus. A Dutch human study showed that flax lignans could be the answer for men and women with hair loss and thinning hair. Yet another, this one on rats, showed potential for liver protection.

NOTE: The product mentioned in the above article is the same product we sell except ours is organic.

Flax has been cultivated for more than 7,000 years in the Middle East as a source of linen fiber and for its oil.

The ancient Egyptians, Hebrews, Greeks, and Romans used the seeds as food, the oil as medicine, and the fibers for clothing and ships’ sails.

The Roman legion used bread made from flax and were able to march long distances and then do battle. Today, Roman meal bread still uses flaxseed, while the linseed oil is used in the manufacture of varnish, paint, linoleum, and soap.

The medicinal properties were well known to the Greeks as Hippocrates recommended flax for mucous membrane inflammations.

In the 8th century in France, Charlemagne passed laws requiring the seeds to be consumed in order to keep his subjects healthy.

Flax is an oilseed that belongs to the genus Linum. The genus contains more than 100 annual and perennial species. Cultivated flax belongs to the species Linum usitatissimum. Its varieties are of two types: one is grown for oil while the other for fiber production.

Flax has several uses for industry, nutrition and health. Most flaxseed has been used for the production of linseed oil, which is unsuitable for food because of a high linolenic acid content, but has many industrial uses (paints, varnishes, plastics, printing inks and lineoleum). The leftover meal becomes animal feed. Thus in most countries flax is commonly called linseed.

What is Lignan ?

The lignans are a group of chemical compounds found in plants, particularly in flax seed. Lignans are one of the major classes of phytoestrogens, which are estrogen-like chemicals and also act as antioxidants. The other classes of phytoestrogens are the isoflavones, and coumestans. Plant lignans are polyphenolic substances derived from phenylalanine via dimerization of substituted cinnamic alcohols (see cinnamic acid), known as monolignols, to a dibenzylbutane skeleton

Flax Hulls are rich in the lignans secoisolariciresinol diglycoside or SDG and secoisolariciresinol or Seco. These potent antioxidants work throughout our bodies to scavenge free radicals, which can damage tissue and are thought to play a role in the pathology of many diseases.

There are two general types of lignans: those found in plants and those found in animals and humans called “mammalian lignans.” When the plant lignan SDG (from flaxseed) is ingested, it is converted in the colon by bacteria to the mammalian lignans enterodial (ED) and enterolactone (EL). Thus, the plant lignan SDG is a precursor to the mammalian lignans ED and EL. Many studies have shown that important health benefits exist due to this conversion of flax lignan in the body.

In a systematic study of eight varieties of flax collected from four locations over a three-year period, it has been shown that SDG levels vary from a low of 0.9% (ww/defatted meal) to a high of 3%. Thus, on the average the lignan SDG is only about 1% of the entire flax seed.

Availability

*100% Certified Organic Whole Flax Hull
* non-GMO
* raw
* 95% digestible as opposed to usually 5% 
* Highly-Concentrated SDG's

5.65 oz

32 servings per container

Usage

Serving Size: ½ TBSP (comes with a scoop)

Take by mixing into food or liquid less than 105 degrees F (35 degrees C). You can also take it alone followed with a drink of water to wash it down.

Sensitive to Gluten? 

Flax Hull Lignan is ONLY the flax hull (bran). However the mucilaginous properties really soothe the gut and encourage the gut flora.  

Regarding Celiac, the barley has been germinated. This means that all of the "glutanase" enzymes are activated and are available to digest the gluten; however, gluten is only found from the dead or unsprouted seed. There is about 0.5% dead seed that gets through our process. For Celiac you can start the product with a canary-size portion (wet the end of your pinky finger and touch the powder and then eat that) every day or two or more. It takes about a year, but the gut will heal.

Although some people will argue with you about this, we have had success because the only way the body will heal, especially enzyme and immune problems, is by eating WHOLE LIVE FOOD. -our Flax Hull Lignan supplier

Articles

Hair Loss and Flax Hull Lignans
Hair loss and thinning hair are frustrating subjects for both men and women. According to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), the most common form of hair loss is androgenetic alopecia (AGA). The AAD states that an estimated 50 million men and 30 million women suffer from AGA, otherwise known as hereditary hair loss, in the US alone. An average of 50% of the population suffers from AGA by the age of 50.

The exact cause of AGA remains unknown but is mainly associated with genetics and hormones. A person may not be able to change his / her genetics, but they may be able to influence the hormonal effects of hair loss. Hair loss occurs when hair follicles sprout hairs that are thinner than normal. This process can be influenced by hormones, especially androgens (testosterone and its metabolites). For example, dihydrotestoserone (DHT), a more potent form of testosterone in the body, can cause hair follicles to become miniaturized. Eventually, the smaller hair follicles produce thinner and shorter hair until, over time, nothing is left. DHT is an important hormone involved in hair health, but it is thought that too much of it can throw off the balance and lead to hair loss.

Many treatments for AGA are being researched. Some new drugs are being used that were originally used for the treatment of prostate problems. These drugs work by blocking the formation of male hormones, such as DHT, that are known to cause prostate growth. In one study, a majority of men with pattern baldness had increased production of DHT, suggesting that elevated levels of DHT may lead to hair loss. The enzyme responsible for the production of DHT is 5a-reductase. Therefore, blocking this (5a-reductase) may be beneficial in preventing or treating hair loss.

Research
Flax lignans have been shown to inhibit 5a-reductase and other enzymes involved in testosterone metabolism, therefore making flax lignans of interest in the possible treatment and prevention of hair loss.

In a six-month study, 10 men with varying degrees of hair loss took a capsule containing 50 mg of SDG, the main flax lignan, per day. At the end of the study, nine of the men reported that their hair loss problem had improved. Half also reported a decrease in oil secretion in their scalp.

Bottom Line
It is too early to say for sure that lignans can prevent hair loss, but results of studies suggest that lignans may be able to balance hormones involved in its development. Larger and longer-term studies are being planned to verify whether flax lignans are a promising treatment for hair loss.
- www.totalhealthmagazine.com

Conclusions of Various Lignans Studies
Below is documentation on the study of plant lignans including secoisolariciresinol diglucoside, (SDG) for short.  Once ingested, colonic bacteria convert SDG to the mammalian lignans enterolactone and enterodiol. There has been a great deal of scientific and medical interest in these three lignans. Provided below are quotations selected from studies published in peer-reviewed medical journals reporting on these promising compounds.

There is considerable evidence from epidemiological studies correlating high concentrations of lignans in the body fluids with a low incidence of hormone-dependent tumors, in particular breast cancer.
Kulling SE Jacobs E Pfeiffer E Metzler M
Studies on the genotoxicity of the mammalian lignans enterolactone and enterodiol and their metabolic precursors at various endpoints in vitro. In: Mutat Res (1998 Aug 7) 416(1 2):115 24

Excretion of both equol and enterolactone was associated with a substantial reduction in breast-cancer risk, with significant trends.
Ingram D Sanders K Kolybaba M Lopez D
Case control study of phyto oestrogens and breast cancer
In: Lancet (1997 Oct 4) 350(9083):990 4

There is a substantial reduction in breast cancer risk among women with a high intake (as measured by excretion) of phyto-oestrogens - particularly the isoflavonic phyto-oestrogens equol and the lignan enterolactone. These findings could be important in the prevention of breast cancer.
Ingram D Sanders K Kolybaba M Lopez D
Case control study of phyto oestrogens and breast cancer
In: Lancet (1997 Oct 4) 350(9083):990 4

The lower excretion of enterolactone by breast cancer patients in our study accords with the findings of a previous small study (seven cases) in which enterolactone excretion was significantly lower in post-menopausal breast cancer patients than in omnivorous and vegetarian controls.
Ingram D Sanders K Kolybaba M Lopez D
Case control study of phyto oestrogens and breast cancer
In: Lancet (1997 Oct 4) 350(9083):990 4

Mammalian lignans inhibit the growth of human breast cancer cells and partially inhibit angiogenesis.
Rickard SE Orcheson LJ Seidl MM Luyengi L Fong HH Thompson LU
Dose dependent production of mammalian lignans in rats and in vitro from the purified precursor secoisolariciresinol diglycoside in flaxseed.
In: J Nutr (1996 Aug) 126(8):2012 9

Epidemiological studies indicated that plasma levels and urinary excretion of the lignan and isoflavonoid phytoestrogens correlated negatively with rates of breast and prostate cancer.
Ren S Lien EJ
Natural products and their derivatives as cancer chemopreventive agents.
In: Prog Drug Res (1997) 48:147 71

Cancers of the breast and prostate, in their early phase of development, are hormone dependant and could be influenced by endocrine changes induced by lignans and isoflavones.
Morton MS Wilcox G Wahlqvist ML Griffiths K
Determination of lignans and isoflavonoids in human female plasma following dietary supplementation.

Lignans have been extensively investigated for their potential anticancer activity, and several have been used as chemotherapeutic agents.
Axelson M Sjovall J Gustafsson BE Setchell KD
Origin of lignans in mammals and identification of a precursor from plants.

Dietary studies and urinary analysis of lignans in postmenopausal women have shown that lignan secretion is significantly lower in urine in women with breast cancer than in healthy omnivorous and vegetarian women.
Tham DM Gardner CD Haskell WL
Clinical review 97: Potential health benefits of dietary phytoestrogens: a review of the clinical, epidemiological, and mechanistic evidence.

The lignan enterolactone showed a three-fold reduction (reduction in risk for breast cancer) in risk for the highest compared with the lowest quartile of excretion...
Ingram D Sanders K Kolybaba M Lopez D
Case control study of phyto oestrogens and breast cancer In: Lancet (1997 Oct 4) 350(9083):990 4

Many Lignans have antitumor, antimitotic, antioxidant, weak estrogenic and antiestrogenic activities and some have been shown to prevent the growth of many tumors studied in the chemotherapy program of the U.S. National Cancer Institute.
Mammalian Lignan Production From Various Foods Nutrition and Cancer; Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc. 1991

Lignan excretion in women is usually high in areas with low risk of breast cancer like North Karelia in Finland and in vegetarians and low in women living in high-risk areas like Boston, U.S.A. In older women with breast cancer in Boston the excretion was very low and it was relatively low in Finnish young women with breast cancer.
Adlercreutz H Mousavi Y Clark J Hockerstedt K Hamalainen E Wahala K Makela T Hase T
Dietary phytoestrogens and cancer: in vitro and in vivo studies.
In: J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol (1992 Mar) 41(3 8):331 7

This study has significance in light of the recent observations that a diet with high-lignan producing capability may reduce the risk for carcinogenesis.
Mammalian Lignan Production From Various Foods Nutrition and Cancer; Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc. 1991

Flax is a potent source of lignans.... studies suggested that they may interfere with the development of breast, prostate, colon, and other tumors in humans.
Journal of the National Cancer Institute. Vol. 86 No.23. December 7, 1994 pg. 1748

They (lignans) have now been shown to influence not only sex-hormone metabolism and biological activity but also intracellular enzymes, protein synthesis, growth factor action, malignant cell proliferation, differentiation and angiogenesis, making them strong candidates as natural cancer chemo-preventative compounds.
Ren S Lien EJ
Natural products and their derivatives as cancer chemopreventive agents.
In: Prog Drug Res (1997) 48:147 71

A great deal of evidence supports the hypothesis that adequate lignan and isoflavone intakes reduce cancer risk. Several papers have reviewed the potential roles of phytoestrogens in preventing breast, colon, and prostate cancer.
Kurzer MS Xu X
Dietary phytoestrogens.
In: Annu Rev Nutr (1997) 17:353 81

Epidemiological data and biological properties of mammalian lignans suggest that they may have some protective effect against breast and colon cancer. Flaxseed in the most abundant source of lignan precursors known to date and it may have a high potential to reduce the risk for these diseases.
Effect of Flaxseed on Breast and Colon Cancer: A Short Term Study Lilian U. Thompson Department of Nutritional Sciences; University of Toronto - Toronto, Canada

Our studies show that increased excretion of some phyto-oestrogens is associated with substantial reduction in breast-cancer risk. This finding supports previous observational studies that reporter higher phyto-estrogen excretion among populations with a low frequency of breast cancer.
Ingram D Sanders K Kolybaba M Lopez D
Case control study of phyto oestrogens and breast cancer
In: Lancet (1997 Oct 4) 350(9083):990 4

Feeding of SD (the major mammalian lignan precursor in flaxseed) at 1.5 mg/day resulted in a significant reduction in tumor burden and the number of tumors per number of rats in the group.
Thompson LU Seidl MM Rickard SE Orcheson LJ Fong HH
Antitumorigenic effect of a mammalian lignan precursor from flaxseed.
In: Nutr Cancer (1996) 26(2):159 65

Our findings have implications for the control of breast cancer. Early detections by screening mammography and adjuvant systemic therapy both reduce breast-cancer mortality, but these techniques do not prevent the occurrence of cancer in the first place. They do little therefore; to reduce the enormous emotional and physical suffering the disease causes-nor do they reduce the massive financial cost to the community. Prevention is the only way to reduce the suffering and cost.
Ingram D Sanders K Kolybaba M Lopez D
Case control study of phyto oestrogens and breast cancer
In: Lancet (1997 Oct 4) 350(9083):990 4

In addition to their inhibition of malignant cell proliferation the lignans may be protective with regard to PC (prostate cancer) or benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) due to their moderate aromatase inhibiting activity or to an effect on free testosterone levels via inhibition of LH secretion stimulation of SHBG synthesis. Both group of phytoestrogens show antioxidant properties which may play a role in carcinogenesis.
Aldercreutz H Makela S Pylkkanen L Santti R Kinzel J van Reijsen M Markkanen H Kamarainen EL Watanabe S Fotsis T et al
Dietary phytoestrogens and prostate cancer (Meeting abstract).

As humans evolved with a variety of leguminous plants as basic food, human physiology appears to have depended upon the anti-oestrogen property of ingested lignans and isoflavonoids to inactivate circulating estrogens.
Stephens FO
Breast cancer: aetiological factors and associations (a possible protective role of phytoestrogens).
In: Aust N Z J Surg (1997 Nov) 67(11):755 60

Flaxseed, a rich source of mammalian lignan precursor secoisolariciresinol-diglucoside (S.D.) And alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) has been shown to be protective at the early promotion stage of carcinogenesis.
Thompson LU Rickard SE Orcheson LJ Seidl MM
Flaxseed and its lignan and oil components reduce mammary tumor growth at a late stage of carcinogenesis.
In: Carcinogenesis (1996 Jun) 17(6):1373 6

Both the presence and relative concentrations of the endogenous estrogens control the balance between estrogenic and antiestrogenic activity of mammalian lignans. Dietary supplementation of flaxseed has resulted in plasma lignan levels as high as 500 ng/ml which is 10,000 times that of normal circulating levels of steroidal estrogens.
Health Effects of Flaxseed Mucilage, Lignans Inform, Vol. 8, no. 8 (August 1997)

Flaxseed supplementation at the 5% level to a high-fat basal diet significantly lowered early neoplastic indices in both the colon and mammary gland of rats. With the purification of SDG from flaxseed, it was shown that both flaxseed (5% by weight) and SDG (at levels equivalent to that in the 5% flaxseed diet) can significantly reduce mammary tumor size and/or number when fed at early and late stages of carcinogenesis. Significant reductions in colon cancer risk markers, such as the size and multiplicity of aberrant crypt foci in carcinogen treated rats, have also been observed with flaxseed and SDG.
Health Effects of Flaxseed Mucilage, Lignans Inform, Vol. 8, no. 8 (August 1997)

In conclusion, flaxseed oil and flaxseed (in a dose dependant manner) reduced the growth of established tumors at a late stage of carcinogenesis whereas the mammalian lignans precursor S.D. exerted the greatest inhibitory effect on the development of new tumors. In contrast to new tumors, the size of established tumors was inversely related to the level of urinary mammalian lignans indicating that the lignans produced by S.D. played a role in the reduction of established tumor growth.
Thompson LU Rickard SE Orcheson LJ Seidl MM
Flaxseed and its lignan and oil components reduce mammary tumor growth at a late stage of carcinogenesis.
In: Carcinogenesis (1996 Jun) 17(6):1373 6

Flaxseed ash received attention from the National Cancer Institute because it contains large amounts of a phytochemical Secoisolariciresinol and omega-3 fatty acids. Lignans, as a class, have a wide variety of biological activity. Flaxseed lignans in particular, are being actively studied as a dietary intervention in breast and colon cancer.
The FASEB Journal, Vol 7, Number 3, Febraury 19, 1993

These dietary estrogens may provide a natural form of intervention therapy.
Morton MS Wilcox G Wahlqvist ML Griffiths K
Determination of lignans and isoflavonoids in human female plasma following dietary supplementation.

Higher urinary levels have been found in humans and animals at lower risk of developing cancer.
Rickard SE Orcheson LJ Seidl MM Luyengi L Fong HH Thompson LU
Dose dependent production of mammalian lignans in rats and in vitro from the purified precursor secoisolariciresinol diglycoside in flaxseed.
In: J Nutr (1996 Aug) 126(8):2012 9

American adherents of macrobiotics had the greatest urinary lignan excretion 15,228-35,363 nmol/day, while Finnish breast cancer patients showed a low urinary lignan excretion pf 1302 - 2835 nmol/day.
Kurzer MS Xu X
Dietary phytoestrogens.
In: Annu Rev Nutr (1997) 17:353 81

Antiestrogenic effects of phytoestrogens have also been observed. At concentrations 100-1000 times of estradiol (the probable levels in human plasma after regular phytoestrogen consumption), it has been proposed that phytoestrogens may be able to compete effectively with endogenous mammalian estrogens, bind the ER, and prevent estrogen-stimulating growth in mammals.
Kurzer MS Xu X
Dietary phytoestrogens. In: Annu Rev Nutr (1997) 17:353-81

Development and growth of breast cancer is related to female sex hormone levels, the most obvious changes being with early menarche, years of menstrual cycling, pregnancy and late menopause. Long term estrogen deficiency is associated with a reduced risk of breast cancer.
Stephens FO
Breast cancer: aetiological factors and associations (a possible protective role of phytoestrogens).
In: Aust N Z J Surg (1997 Nov) 67(11):755 60

In another study conducted by scientists from the University of Minnesota and the University of Helsinki, lignans and other phytoestrogens known as flavonoids inhibited enzyme activity necessary for estrogen production from fatty tissue, the main source of estrogen in postmenopausal women. This form of estrogen is thought to contribute to estrogen-dependant tumors.
Journal of the National Cancer Institute. Vol. 86 No.23. December 7, 1994 pg. 1748

It would seem very reasonable to propose that these weakly oestrogenic compounds act as the natural tamoxifin in Asian and Mediterranean people.
Morton MS Wilcox G Wahlqvist ML Griffiths K
Determination of lignans and isoflavonoids in human female plasma following dietary supplementation.

Maximum combined concentrations of lignans, during the linseed supplemental period approached 500 ng/ml. This value although representing the total rather than the free fraction, is some 10,000 times the concentration of free oestradiol seen in postmenopausal women and similar to the levels of the anti-estrogen Tamoxifin observed with breast cancer treated with 20 mg/day of this drug.
Morton MS Wilcox G Wahlqvist ML Griffiths K
Determination of lignans and isoflavonoids in human female plasma following dietary supplementation.

Serraino & Thompson reported that supplementation of a high-fat diet with lignan-rich flaxseed flour or deffated flaxseed meal (5% or 10%) reduced epithelial cell proliferation by 38.8-55.4% and nuclear aberrations by 58.8 - 65.9% in the female rat mammary gland, with optimum effects seen at 5% flaxseed flour.
Kurzer MS Xu X
Dietary phytoestrogens.
In: Annu Rev Nutr (1997) 17:353 81

Dietary phytoestrogens may attenuate the adverse consequences of obesity on development of post menopausal breast cancer which may explain the low breast cancer rates of post menopausal Hispanic women despite their greater adiposity.
Stephens FO
Breast cancer: aetiological factors and associations (a possible protective role of phytoestrogens).
In: Aust N Z J Surg (1997 Nov) 67(11):755 60

It has been concluded that lignans and isoflavonoids may influence sex hormone metabolism and cancer by influencing plasma SHBG levels resulting in lower uptake and less biological activity of these steroids and by inhibiting growth and proliferation of hormone-dependant cancer cells.
Adlercreutz H Mousavi Y Clark J Hockerstedt K Hamalainen E Wahala K Makela T Hase T
Dietary phytoestrogens and cancer: in vitro and in vivo studies.
In: J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol (1992 Mar) 41(3 8):331 7

A major problem of Western diets may not be the presence of meat or dairy products in the diet but the absence of desirable ingredients of vegetarian diets, namely dietary fiber and certain plant lignans and isoflavonoids.
Stephens FO
Breast cancer: aetiological factors and associations (a possible protective role of phytoestrogens).
In: Aust N Z J Surg (1997 Nov) 67(11):755 60

In Summery: high concentrations of lignans and isoflavonoids are attained in plasma by supplementing the normal diet with small amounts of the linseed, soya or clover products. These compounds may play a significant role in the molecular processes concerned with the patho-genesis of hormone-dependant cancer, with a real possibility that they exercise a restraining influence on the development of hormone-promoted clinical disease.
Morton MS Wilcox G Wahlqvist ML Griffiths K
Determination of lignans and isoflavonoids in human female plasma following dietary supplementation.
In: J Endocrinol (1994 Aug) 142(2):251 9

The data presented in this study provide consistent evidence that lignans ENL, END, MAT and SEC are devoid of genotoxicity under the experimental conditions used in this study.
Kulling SE Jacobs E Pfeiffer E Metzler M
Studies on the genotoxicity of the mammalian lignans enterolactone and enterodiol and their metabolic precursors at various endpoints in vitro.
In: Mutat Res (1998 Aug 7) 416(1 2):115 24

In premenopausal women, flaxseed consumption over three menstrual cycles lengthened the luteal phase indicating an antiestrogenic effect.
Health Effects of Flaxseed Mucilage, Lignans Inform, Vol. 8, no. 8 (August 1997)

Nevertheless, we are aware of no previously investigated preventative factor that has shown a degree of risk reduction similar to that found for some phyto-oestrogens in this study; and none has equal potential as a simple intervention as phyto-oestrogens. A cultural movement towards increased consumption of phyto-oestrogen-containing foods is taking place, encouraged by magazines and other lay media. Our findings go some way towards providing a rationale for these changes.
Ingram D Sanders K Kolybaba M Lopez D
Case control study of phyto oestrogens and breast cancer
In: Lancet (1997 Oct 4) 350(9083):990 4

 
Flax Seeds for Breast and Prostate Protection
Dear Pharmacist,
My sister has breast cancer and is taking tamoxifen. She would like to take flax seed supplements (or eat the ground up seeds/oil) but she doesn't know if it will help or interfere with her treatment. Her doctor said it was fine, but wanted her to double-check with you, since they both read you in the local paper in Florida. Thanks for your help. 
 
Answer: Lots of women have asked me if flax seed is safe to take if they have a history of breast cancer because they are a form of estrogen. First you should know that flax seed is a natural plant-based estrogen that is considered beneficial to the breast and prostate. It helps process estrogen to safer by-products in the body. Regarding your sister, the final approval to use flax must come from her physician, but since he has asked me to weigh in, I say yes. Flax protects the breasts, and studies today show that it enhances the activity of tamoxifen.
 
Flax seed is full of nutrients your body needs to be healthy, such as omega-3 essential fatty acids, lignans, and fiber. It reduces the risk of various types of cancer, as well as lung and heart disease. One 2007 study even showed that menopausal women noticed fewer hot flashes after adding the seed to their diet!
 
How exactly does the magic happen? It's due to lignans, which are complex carbohydrates found in plants. When digested, they offer us natural plant-based estrogens (termed phytoestrogens) and antioxidant power, so they have the ability to replace dangerous estrogens with safer ones as well as sweep away toxins. Lignans are well-known to reduce risk of breast and prostate cancer. Flax seed contains hundreds of times more lignans than most other plant-based foods, making these tiny seeds a gigantic resource for your health. We know that seeds create life on Earth, and they can do the same inside your body.

A recent eight week trial, published in the Molecular Nutrition & Food Resource Journal, just got to the nitty-gritty of it all. Researchers were trying to flesh out which part of the flax seed it is that makes tamoxifen so effective and as it turns out, it's the oils within that help the most.
 
Another recent study in May 2010 issue of Nutrition and Cancer just found that key compounds in the naturally occurring oils of flax seed (such as secoisolariciresinol diglucoside) could slow the growth of established breast tumors. By the way, that same compound is known to prevent balding.
 
That's not the first study to prove the power of flax seed in protecting the breasts, though. In 2005, a study published in the International Journal of Cancer found that flax seed halted growth of developing breast cancer cells, and therefore slowed the spreading (metastasis) of it. Suzy Cohen, www.DearPharmacist.com

Researchers from the University of Wales College of Medicine, Cardiff, UK, determined the concentration of lignans in prostate fluid from Portuguese, Chinese, and British men. The mean concentrations of enterolactone and other plant estrogens were very high among Portuguese and Asian men, respectively. The research team concluded that the level of lignans and related plant estrogens may be responsible, in part, for lower incidence of prostate cancer in men from Mediterranean countries.

Vegetarian men have lower incidence of prostate cancer than non-vegetarian males. This is partly due to the higher level of plant lignans consumed by vegetarians. In addition to their estrogenic activity, these plant compounds can interfere with steroid metabolism and bioavailability, and also inhibit enzymes, such as tyrosine kinase and topoisomerase, which are crucial to cellular proliferation and hence contribute to lower incidences of prostate cancer.

A very recent study involved twenty-five patients with prostate cancer which were given lignan-rich flaxseed supplementation. The results show a favorable affect on prostate cancer biology and associated biomarkers.

Women's Health
Because lignans are phytoestrogens, they are effective in treating several health issues for women. If there is little estrogen in the body (after menopause, for example), lignans may act like weak estrogen; but when natural estrogen is abundant in the body, lignans may instead reduce estrogen's effects by displacing it from the cells. As discussed earlier, this displacement of the hormone can help prevent breast cancer.

This chemical resemblance to estrogen gives the lignan antagonist properties to the estrogenic receptor site. A clinical study has shown that SDG phytoestrogen in particular exhibits agonist properties to the estrogen receptor. This property is of specific value to post-menopausal women, who typically exhibit low estrogen levels.

Women consuming lignan-rich flaxseed products generally report a reduction in breast tenderness, bloating, hot flashes, sweating, vaginal dryness, and other systems related to PMS and menopause. This is due to the lignan's estrogenic activity.

For years, people have been attempting to control menstrual cycles. Controlling menstrual cycles has several health benefits including decreasing the risk of breast cancer. Lignans in flaxseed have been shown to regulate women's menstrual cycles. In one study, women consuming lignans in flaxseed did not miss a single cycle, compared to the control group that missed several cycles. In another study women supplemented their diet with a dose of 10 g/day of flax. It resulted in elevated progesterone / estradiol ratios in the luteal phase. This was due to a decreased estradiol concentration. The concentration of lignans measured in the urine showed the level of lignans absorbed. Thus flax lignan clearly has a significant impact in controlling women's menstrual cycle.

In a study with rats, the effect of flax and its lignan SDG was compared with tamoxifen, an anti-estrogen drug, by monitoring rat estrous cycling. After four weeks 66% of the rats taking flax SDG had more regular cycling produced by a cessation or lengthening (by 18-39%) of estrous cycles. In the rats given tamoxifen, 83% of the animals had irregular cycles or were in persistent diestrous.

The conclusion was that flaxseed and SDG were effective in being antiestogemic without gross tissue toxicity. The control which lignan has over the menstrual cycle has an influence on cancer growth. This is because the less time a women spends in the luteal phase, the lower the risk of breast cancer.

A study of twenty-eight post-menopausal women was conducted in which they consumed lignan-rich flaxseed. The supplementation significantly increased urinary excretion of the estrogen metabolites 2-hydroxyestrogen and 16 alpha-hydroxyestrone. These results suggest that lignan from flaxseed may have chemo-protective effects in post-menopausal women.

Newsletter Notes

- This product is derived from the hull of the Flax seed. In the hull of the Flax seed is where most of the nutritional value of flax is stored. The extremely thin hull of the seed is extracted, and in the hull material is where the Flax Lignan is stored. The process of isolating the flax hull is proprietary, and as far as we know, there is only one person in the world who has figured out how to do that. Just to give you an idea of the difficulty of the task, 12 pounds of flaxseed only yields 1 ounce of the flax hull.

Once again, the science and biology behind this product is still a little more than I can adequately explain, so the free CD covers the Flax Lignan product. After you have listened to the CD a few times, you are probably not going to have many more questions. BUT, just in case you do, we have just received several hundred copies of a little book titled Flaxseed Lignan - The Power of SDG in Promoting Health.

. . . these are IMPORTANT, all-natural nutrients that can and should be a core part of your health regimen. We feel like, in the long term, these will prove to be the most profound products that we have ever discovered and, as you listen to the free CD, you will discover that the barley and the Flax Lignan are synergistic, with each, complementing the benefits of the other.

- We are encountering delays in getting the new Barley and Flax products in from Canada. If I had known it was going to be such a problem to bring these products in, I probably would have delayed telling the Membership about them, but here we are. I am sure you are a lot more patient than me. Maybe as you learn more and more about these special Barley products and the Flax Hull Lignan product, you will get as excited as we are. Libby and I do have an advantage, because we have product samples with which we have been working for the last few weeks. I just want to say that I think you are going to be impressed when we finally have product available for you.

As a part of the education process, see the article from HSI Alert (above), which documents the extraordinary health benefits of Flax Hull Lignans.

User Testimonials

Energy and Smooth Moves . . . I have only been taking the Lignan Gold for about a week now. What I am noticing so far is more energy and smoother bowel movements. I look forward to further improvements in my wellbeing as I continue using this product. VA, TX