Study: Flaxseed Halts Prostate Tumor Growth

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,277740,00.html

Study: Flaxseed Halts Prostate Tumor Growth
Monday , June 04, 2007

Flaxseed, a high-fiber and omega 3-fatty acid-rich compound, appears to halt the formation of prostate tumors, according to a study led by Duke University Medical Center researchers.

The seed, which is similar to a sesame seed and belongs to a group of compounds called lignans, may be able to interrupt events that lead cells to divide irregularly and become cancerous, concluded the study.

“Our previous studies in animals and in humans had shown a correlation between flaxseed supplementation and slowed tumor growth, but the participants in those studies had taken flaxseed in conjunction with a low-fat diet,” said Wendy Demark-Wahnefried, a Duke School of Nursing researcher and lead investigator on the study, in a news release.

Demark-Wahnefried said this most recent study showed that flaxseed alone provided prostate cancer-fighting benefits.

For the study, researchers examined the effects of flaxseed supplementation on men who were scheduled to undergo prostatectomy—surgery for the treatment of prostate cancer. The men took 30 grams of flaxseed daily for an average of 30 days prior to surgery.

Men taking flaxseed alone or in conjunction with a low-fat diet, were compared to men assigned to just a low-fat diet, as well as to men in a control group, who did not alter or supplement their daily diet. Each group was made up of about 40 participants.

Once the men’s tumors were removed, the researchers looked at tumor cells under a microscope to determine how quickly the cancer cells had multiplied. Men in both of the flaxseed groups had the slowest rate of tumor growth, Demark-Wahnefried said.

Study participants took the flaxseed in a ground form because, in its whole form, it has an indigestible seed coat, she said. Participants elected to mix it in drinks or sprinkle it on food, such as yogurt.

“The results showed that the men who took just flaxseed as well as those who took flaxseed combined with a low-fat diet did the best, indicating that it is the flaxseed which is making the difference,” Demark-Wahnefried said.

Researchers believe that, as a source of omega 3-fatty acids, flaxseed can alter how cancer cells lump together or cling to other body cells, which are factors in how fast cancer cells proliferate, Demark-Wahnefried said. The researchers also suspect that lignans may have antiangiogenic properties, meaning they are able to choke off a tumor’s blood supply, stunting its growth.

That's nice to hear. Breakfast for me is usually a bowl of whole grain flax cereal, raw oatmeal, honey, organic yogurt, flaxseed meal, wheat germ, & 1% milk. Yum

I will also tell you that flaxseed oil will drop your cholestoral (sp?). Mrs. late was at about 270. Started on the oil, and at next check, six months later, had dropped over 30 points. There were no other changes in our diet at that time. A few months later, she finally badgered me into checking mine. It was 203. Of course, since I usually don't get it checked I cann't tell you what it was before. Still 203 isn't bad.

day late said:

I will also tell you that flaxseed oil will drop your cholestoral (sp?). Mrs. late was at about 270. Started on the oil, and at next check, six months later, had dropped over 30 points. There were no other changes in our diet at that time. A few months later, she finally badgered me into checking mine. It was 203. Of course, since I usually don't get it checked I cann't tell you what it was before. Still 203 isn't bad.

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Please tell me where to buy the flaxseed oil and how much to take? Do you put it on anything or take it by the teaspoon?

Thanks

Walmart has in the vitamin section

http://store.honeyvillegrain.com/

Everything you order is shipped for $4.50

brokenwings said:

Please tell me where to buy the flaxseed oil and how much to take? Do you put it on anything or take it by the teaspoon?

Thanks

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We get capsules at Walgreens, but it is also available at health food stores and most vitimin sections of most drug stores.

One or two capsules a day.

Rancid?

I remember reading in the past that flaxseed goes rancid fairly quickly causing it to lose many of it good properties secondary to the oxides formed and the body having to deal with them. I noted the article stated that they used ground flaxseed. The best would be ground or cracked just before eating to keep the oxygen exposure to a minimum.

I think you have to use the ground seed. You can buy it at most grocery stores now. We just grind it daily in a small coffee grinder, put it in a bit of water & toss it down.

If it's cooked - it loses most of the effectiveness. If it's ground, you can refrigerate it. If it's unground, it lasts forever. Found some in a pyramid and the seed was still good.

I'd get organic if you can. The flax in itself is awesome, but I'm not so sure it'd be very healthy with a straight shot of Roundup or chemical on it!

Blessings, mamaklip

Flaxseed oil sealed in airtight gel caps does not go rancid.

BTTT 4 later

Walmart sells organic flax seed oil in capsule form. It can be found with the vitamins. I take it for my skin, hair and nails.

brokenwings said:

Please tell me where to buy the flaxseed oil and how much to take? Do you put it on anything or take it by the teaspoon?

Thanks

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Every cancer patient in therapy or remission should be eating flax seed every day. Its the critical element in the Budwig diet.

Anyone with slow or lazy bowels should also be eating flax seeds. Its the smoothest most natural laxative. Perfect for very sickly or very senior citizens.

and kids LOVE the taste, so its the best way to increase the Omega 3s to balance the American diet which is WAY over the top with high intake of Omega 6s.



You buy whole grain or crushed seeds for 3-12 dollars per bag. We find them the cheapest at the health food stores $2.78 per one pound bag, and highest cost at the grocery stores.

You can buy the oil at Walgreens for a few dollars per bottle off the shelf, or you can buy pharmacutical quality refrigerated with a shelf life of about 90 days in the health food stores.

Another great source and tastes really really good is the Uncle Sam cereal:
http://www.usmillsllc.com/usmills/productview_description.php?id=124

UNCLE SAM CEREAL: A unique blend of toasted whole grain wheat flakes and whole flaxseed. Uncle Sam Cereal has just been certified as a Low Glycemic Food by the Glycemic Research Institute in Washington, D.C. To read about the many health benefits of eating Uncle Sam Cereal, please click on the Uncle Sam Cereal Brochure located below. (Please note that this is a PDF file).

Download: Unlce Sam Cereal Brochure

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I make flaxseed crackers. I soak the flaxseed in water over night. I add other soaked grains and seeds as well. Then I add spices ... garlic ginger or agave and dried cherries.

Then I form the mixture into whatever shape I want and dehydrate until crisp.

These are considered raw live food because nothing is heated over 115

Everyone I let try my crackers loves them.

I am not 100% about this .... isn't flax also high in protein?

seaside

The story at the beginning of this thread, if I am reading it right, talked about the effect of flaxseed on cancerous tumours. Any ideas on the effects if any on benign enlargement?

Trivium Pursuit said:

The story at the beginning of this thread, if I am reading it right, talked about the effect of flaxseed on cancerous tumours. Any ideas on the effects if any on benign enlargement?

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posted not too long ago about Rome Italy, and a break thru in stopping prostate cancer by using Ibuprofin and Injected pharmacutical Vitamin D.


Isnt zinc the missing ingredient and reason for most mens problems??? Here is a snip from a well worth reading the WHOLE article.......>

http://www.healingwithnutrition.com/pdisease/prostate/enlargedprostate.html



[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif] Herbology is mankind's oldest form of medicine. In our desperate search for answers to many devastating diseases, we are once again returning to nature, seeking plant derived chemicals for the management of sickness. I often wonder what the state of human health might be today is we had not strayed so far away from nature and a natural way of life.
The first herb that must be considered in any prostate program is known as Serenoa repens. You may be familiar with it as saw palmetto.
We actually use the berry produced by this plant for the magical effects it has upon prostate health. If you remember our discussion of the role hormones play in the evolving process of BPH, then you know that testosterone alone is not a bad thing, but when it is converted to dihydrotestosterone we have a problem. Concentrations of extracts from the Serenona repens berry actually block the conversion of testosterone into dihydrotestosterone! The herb is not only all natural but it is safe and inexpensive as well. The pharmaceutical industry produces chemicals to try and clock the production of the enzyme 5-alpha-reductase, causing terrible side effects; nature has given us a natural method of accomplishing the exact same thing with absolutely no side effects whatsoever!
How long has this plant been used for health? Longer than the drug companies have even been in existence! American Indians routinely used the berries from the saw palmetto plant to help with genitourinary tract problems.
Saw palmetto has been used by herbalists, both ancient and modern, for its natural aphrodisiac properties.
In recent years, at least 16 scientific double-blind placebo controlled studies have been conducted on the extract of this ancient plant. Every single study has shown that it improves urination, urine flow, reduces pain, and reduces prostate size.
Despite this overwhelming body of clinical evidence, the Food and Drug Administration concluded that the results were insignificant. Why did they take this position? To answer that, at least in part, we must consider the position taken by drug industry leaders regarding safe, inexpensive, natural substances. Not surprisingly, with billions to loose, the drug companies conducted their own studies with the obvious conclusion that the natural plant extracts were nowhere near as effective as their pharmaceuticals.
Serenoa repens has been in use in many countries of Europe for at least 15 years. Yet despite this lengthy track record of results and satisfaction, drug companies still suppress this information in the United States. According to clinical studies conducted by Merck themselves, less than 50 percent of the men taking the drug Proscar® evaluated it as effective. By the same token, similar evaluation studies conducted with Serenoa repens indicated that 90 percent of the men taking it were completely satisfied with the results!
Nature comes to the prostate rescue once again in the form of another plant called Pygeum africanum. A native of Africa, it too has been used for decades in many places around the world to successfully treat and reverse BPH.
One clinical study involving Pygeum africanum showed that 80 percent of the participants reported significant improvement in their symptoms after just 30 days into the study.
In the United States many physicians have been reluctant to become overly excited about these herbs because the drug companies are spending so much time and money to ensure that they think otherwise.
On the one hand, progress is being made because many nutritional companies are now formulating products containing one or both of these excellent herbs. Unfortunately, in our haste to bring these products to market, many companies have overlooked some of the other important co-factors which not only help the herbs to work better but also contribute healing and preventive properties of their own.
The amino acids Glycine, Leanne, and Glutamic acid have shown to help relieve prostate symptoms such as getting up at night, frequency and urgency of urination, and impaired urine flow. In one clinical study, men using these three amino acids alone, with no other treatment, observed that they had an 80 percent reduction in night time awakenings and over 70 percent of them reported a reduction in the urgency to urinate.
These amino acids have never been shown to help reverse or cure BPH. That's why you need to take them with the herbs we have already discussed. Their importance and contribution, however, lies in the rapid alleviation of annoying symptoms which is why we recommend them.
Although we earlier introduced you to several specific nutrients paramount to the treatment of BPH, they are worth reviewing. The vitamins B-6, C, and E are crucial for several reasons. Vitamins C and E are powerful antioxidants, important in the prevention and mitigation of most chronic disease conditions. Vitamin B-6, the universal catalyst or carrier, helps all other nutrients to work better. Additionally, Vitamin B-6 has a direct effect upon prolactin levels, reducing them safely and naturally. A reduction of prolactin prevents the conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone.
Lastly, we have a single mineral, but a very important mineral. Zinc has long been associated with male sexual health. This is because zinc is an integral part of hormone structures and a major constituent of seminal fluid and is involved in the production of sperm. When boys hit puberty, their hormone levels rise, oftentimes rapidly. This causes a depletion of zinc in the body, which can lead to a depressed immune system and such annoying side effects as acne.
As we age, a zinc deficiency can lead to impotence and prostate enlargement because the prostate tissue requires zinc to maintain its health and integrity. Further, adequate zinc also prevents the formation of dihyrotestosterone, making it a multi-purpose mineral for total prostate health.
If you have begun to notice some of the symptoms of BPH, you should being the following protocol at once. If you currently have BPH, you may use the same protocol but in higher potencies, at least for the first few month..........................



more follows at the link...........

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