What do you guys/gals think of Flax Seed Oil?

[mbcrump]

I was under the impression it was good for you and started taking it, then I say this article about how it increases prostate cancer and I think its a bunch of bull. What do you think? I've done a lot of research and this is the only site that has said anything negative about it. The only thing I know to watch for is that I should not take it everyday.

 

[Lifterforlife]

Mercola.....he is a kook! Not surprising he is the only site to say this. To stay in the "limelight" so to speak these days, one has to be different.

 

[cyrex]

I think it taste like grass . . .

 

[cyrex]

A recent study of about 47,000 men has found the ALA omega-3 fatty acids stimulate the growth of prostate tumors in men. Of the men monitored over 14 years, some 3,000 struggled with prostate cancer and about one in seven were suffering from the advanced stages of the disease.

Researchers found men who were suffering from advanced prostate cancer had higher quantities of ALA from non-animal as well as meat and dairy sources.

Absolute BUNK haha. From the text in the article, they never mention anything that would lead someone to believe that higher quantities of ALA CAUSE prostate cancer...

In science there is a very important distinction that must be made between CAUSATION and CORRELATION.

here we have a scientific study that finds CORRELATION but NOT CAUSATION.

There may be a 3rd factor that causes and increase of prostate cancer as well as ALA levels. A 7 year study would be very difficult to determine that ingesting things like flax seed cause prostate cancer, because they would need to closely monitor everything the participants eat.

 

[victoria978]

You will find that if one study says something is good for you, there will be another that says it will give you cancer, or something is abd about it. It's hard to weed out the bs from the useful info.

 

[cyrex]

They also don't mention the anything about the statistical significance of the 'higher levels'.

 

[Assertive Guy]

I was under the impression it was good for you and started taking it, then I say this article about how it increases prostate cancer and I think its a bunch of bull. What do you think? I've done a lot of research and this is the only site that has said anything negative about it. The only thing I know to watch for is that I should not take it everyday.

I'm not pretending I know everything about this, but I have read that Flax Oil (linseed) is most useful to us when broken down into EPA and DHA. But it only converts in smaller amounts, so I'd stick with Neautrasea's Omega 3 which is higher than any other supplement I've found on these 2 specifics.

 

[Lifterforlife]

I'm not pretending I know everything about this, but I have read that Flax Oil (linseed) is most useful to us when broken down into EPA and DHA. But it only converts in smaller amounts, so I'd stick with Neautrasea's Omega 3 which is higher than any other supplement I've found on these 2 specifics.

Good post...you are exactly correct. And folks who have diabetes or as we age for instance may not have the capacity to do even this.

ALA must be broken down and lengthened to 20 carbons for it to become bioactive.

Marine sources already have 20 carbons that are readily available. This is EPA.