Side Effects of Whole Flaxseed

Adding flaxseed to you diet may provide health benefits; however, side effects do exist for flax seed, and whole flaxseeds may not be digested appropriately. Understanding the potential side effects, as well as how to obtain the maximum benefit from flaxseeds, can help you determine if flaxseed is right for you.

Identification

Grown throughout Canada and northwestern United States, flaxseed is simply the seed from the flax plant. Flaxseed supplements can come in whole or crushed form, and flaxseed oil is available in liquid or capsule form.

Theories/Speculation

According to the Mayo Clinic, it's important to grind flaxseeds, as the whole seed may pass through the digestive tract without being digested. Grinding the flaxseed before consuming it means that you'll get more nutrition and benefit from the seed.

Side Effects of Flaxseed

The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine says that, overall flaxseed supplements are generally well-tolerated. Flaxseed may cause constipation or intestinal blockage if it's not taken with an adequate amount of water. Because flaxseed contains high amounts of fiber, consider starting it a low dose and increasing it slowly. This may help to ward off uncomfortable intestinal side effects.

Also, NCCAM says that the fiber in flaxseed could stop or limit the absorption of other supplements and medications, so don't take anything else at the same time as the flaxseed.

Benefits

NCCAM says that flaxseeds contain soluble fiber and are high in omega-3 fatty acids. Though NCCAM says there's not enough data to definitively say, some studies do suggest that the alpha-linolenic acid found in flaxseeds could benefit those with heart disease. NCCAM is also currently researching other studies on the benefits of flaxseeds.

According to the Mayo Clinic, flaxseed may help reduce total blood cholesterol and LDL cholesterol levels; however, the NCCAM says that studies on the effects of flaxseed and cholesterol have reported mixed results.

Flax oil or Flaxseed?

Though flaxseed oil is an excellent source of alpha-linolenic acid, it is missing many of the health benefits of actual ground flaxseeds. The fiber found in the seed isn't present in the oil, though the omega-3 essential fatty acids are. Also, NCCAM says that flaxseed contains lignans, but flaxseed oil does not.