Flaxseed Oil

Ingredients A-Z

Overview

Flaxseed oil is a plant-based oil extracted from the seeds of the flax plant, Linum usitatissimum, and is widely used in dietary supplements for its high content of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), a heart-friendly omega-3 fatty acid. It contains around 73 percent polyunsaturated fats, with ALA making up between 39 to 60 percent of its total fatty acid profile. Flaxseed oil also offers a favorable omega-6 to omega-3 ratio of about 0.3 to 1, supporting anti-inflammatory effects and overall cardiovascular health. Compared to whole or milled flaxseeds, the oil provides better absorption of ALA, making it an efficient way to boost omega-3 intake, especially for those on plant-based diets.

In addition to healthy fats, flaxseed oil naturally contains antioxidants such as tocopherols and beta-carotene, although it can oxidise easily if not stored properly. It is commonly available in softgel or liquid form and is often taken to support heart health, skin hydration, joint comfort, and digestive wellness. With its mild flavour and clean, plant-based origin, flaxseed oil serves as a popular fish-free alternative to traditional omega-3 supplements.

Key indications

High Blood Pressure

In International Study of Macronutrients and Micronutrients and Blood Pressure (INTERMAP) trial, a significant inverse relationship was found between dietary ALA and blood pressure in 4,680 participants². Twelve weeks of daily consumption of 14g of flaxseed oil, enriched with 2.6g ALA, led to a reduction of approximately 10mmHg in systolic blood pressure (SBP) and 3mmHg in diastolic blood pressure (DBP) in prehypertensive patients³. Flaxseed oil also reduced SBP, DBP, and mean arterial pressure (MAP) by 10, 8, and 8mmHg, respectively, in dyslipidemic patients after consuming 15ml of flaxseed oil containing 8g ALA per day for 12 weeks⁴.

High Cholesterol

Participants in a 2021 study were given 15ml of flaxseed oil per day (providing approximately 8g of ALA) resulting in significant reductions in total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol in both healthy and dyslipidemic individuals, highlighting the potential of flaxseed oil in improving lipid profiles⁵. Additionally, a meta-analysis of 62 studies evaluated the impact of flaxseed and flaxseed-derived products on the lipid profiles of adults, found a reduction in circulating total cholesterol (TC), LDL cholesterol (LDL-C), and triglycerides (TG) after flaxseed supplementation⁶.

High Blood Sugar

A study found that supplementation with 2g per day of omega-3 fatty acids from flaxseed oil for 6 weeks in women with gestational diabetes mellitus positively impacted gene expression related to insulin, lipids, inflammation, glycemic control, inflammatory markers, and oxidative stress⁸. A systematic review and meta-analysis of 13 clinical studies also found that flaxseed supplementation significantly reduced hemoglobin A1c, with the most promising results in patients with poor blood sugar control⁹.

Adverse effects

Flaxseed oil is usually safe for most adults when taken in recommended doses, but potential side effects include diarrhea, loose stools, and worsened constipation, which can be minimized by drinking plenty of water and following the suggested dosage¹¹.

Dosage range

Based on available data, flaxseed and its oil are considered safe in doses of up to 50g per day. Clinical trials have used 5g to 50g of flaxseed or 4ml to 60ml of flaxseed oil daily. A dose of 2.5g of flaxseed oil can provide enough ALA to meet daily requirements — 1.1g for women and 1.6g for men¹³.

Contraindications/cautions

Flaxseed oil may interact with certain conditions or medications¹²:

Anticoagulant/ Antiplatelet drugs:
Flaxseed oil may interact with anticoagulant and antiplatelet medications, such as warfarin, aspirin, clopidogrel, and heparin, increasing the risk of bruising and bleeding.

Antihypertensive drugs:
Medications like enalapril, losartan, amlodipine, and furosemide may lower blood pressure too much when
combined with flaxseed oil, potentially causing blood pressure to drop too low. It is important to monitor your blood pressure closely.

Ezetimibe (Zetia):
Flaxseed oil may interfere with the absorption of alpha-linolenic acid when taken with ezetimibe, so consult your doctor before using flaxseed oil if you are on this medication.

Going in for surgery:
Flaxseed oil should generally be stopped at least 2 weeks before surgery to reduce the risk of bleeding.

Adverse effects

Dosage range

Contraindications/cautions

Flaxseed oil may interact with certain conditions or medications¹²:

Going in for surgery:
Flaxseed oil should generally be stopped at least 2 weeks before surgery to reduce the risk of bleeding.

References :

Harper, C. R., Edwards, M. J., DeFilipis, A. P., & Jacobson, T. A. (2006). Flaxseed oil increases the plasma concentrations of cardioprotective (n-3) fatty acids in humans. The Journal of nutrition, 136(1), 83-87.
Ueshima, H., Stamler, J., Elliott, P., Chan, Q., Brown, I. J., Carnethon, M. R., … & Zhou, B. (2007). Food omega-3 fatty acid intake of individuals (total, linolenic acid, long-chain) and their blood pressure: INTERMAP study. Hypertension, 50(2), 313-319.
Takeuchi, H., Sakurai, C., Noda, R., Sekine, S., Murano, Y., Wanaka, K., … & Kondo, K. (2007). Antihypertensive effect and safety of dietary α-linolenic acid in subjects with high-normal blood pressure and mild hypertension. Journal of Oleo Science, 56(7), 347-360.
Paschos, G. K., Magkos, F., Panagiotakos, D. B., Votteas, V., & Zampelas, A. (2007). Dietary supplementation with flaxseed oil lowers blood pressure in dyslipidaemic patients. European journal of clinical nutrition, 61(10), 1201-1206.
Masjedi, M. S., Pour, P. M., Shokoohinia, Y., & Asgary, S. (2022). Effects of flaxseed on blood lipids in healthy and dyslipidemic subjects: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Current Problems in Cardiology, 47(7), 100931.
Hadi, A., Askarpour, M., Salamat, S., Ghaedi, E., Symonds, M. E., & Miraghajani, M. (2020). Effect of flaxseed supplementation on lipid profile: An updated systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of sixty-two randomized controlled trials. Pharmacological research, 152, 104622.
Macsai M.S. (2008). The role of omega-3 dietary supplementation in blepharitis and meibomian gland dysfunction (an AOS thesis). Transactions of the American Ophthalmological Society, 106, 336–356.
Jamilian, M. , Tabassi, Z. , Reiner, Ž. , Panahandeh, I. , Naderi, F. , Aghadavod, E. , Amirani, E. , Taghizadeh, M. , Shafabakhsh, R. , Satari, M. , Mansournia, M. A. , Memarzadeh, M. R. & Asemi, Z. (2020). British Journal of Nutrition, 123 (7), 792-799. doi: 10.1017/S0007114519003416.
Xi, H., Zhou, W., Sohaib, M., Niu, Y., Zhu, R., Guo, Y., … & Guo, L. (2023). Flaxseed supplementation significantly reduces hemoglobin A1c in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Nutrition Research, 110, 23-32.
Poorbaferani, F., Rouhani, M. H., Heidari, Z., Poorbaferani, M., & Safavi, S. M. (2020). Flaxseed oil supplementation on severity of depression and brain-derived neurotrophic factor: A randomized, double blind placebo controlled clinical trial. International Journal of Food Properties, 23(1), 1518-1526.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (n.d.). Flaxseed and flaxseed oil: Usefulness and safety. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/flaxseed-and-flaxseed-oil
WebMD. (n.d.). Flaxseed oil: Overview, uses, side effects, precautions, interactions, dosing and reviews. WebMD. https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-990/flaxseed-oil
Drugs.com. (2024). Flax uses, benefits & dosage. https://www.drugs.com/npp/flax.html

References :

Harper, C. R., Edwards, M. J., DeFilipis, A. P., & Jacobson, T. A. (2006). Flaxseed oil increases the plasma concentrations of cardioprotective (n-3) fatty acids in humans. The Journal of nutrition, 136(1), 83-87.
Ueshima, H., Stamler, J., Elliott, P., Chan, Q., Brown, I. J., Carnethon, M. R., … & Zhou, B. (2007). Food omega-3 fatty acid intake of individuals (total, linolenic acid, long-chain) and their blood pressure: INTERMAP study. Hypertension, 50(2), 313-319.
Takeuchi, H., Sakurai, C., Noda, R., Sekine, S., Murano, Y., Wanaka, K., … & Kondo, K. (2007). Antihypertensive effect and safety of dietary α-linolenic acid in subjects with high-normal blood pressure and mild hypertension. Journal of Oleo Science, 56(7), 347-360.
Paschos, G. K., Magkos, F., Panagiotakos, D. B., Votteas, V., & Zampelas, A. (2007). Dietary supplementation with flaxseed oil lowers blood pressure in dyslipidaemic patients. European journal of clinical nutrition, 61(10), 1201-1206.
Masjedi, M. S., Pour, P. M., Shokoohinia, Y., & Asgary, S. (2022). Effects of flaxseed on blood lipids in healthy and dyslipidemic subjects: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Current Problems in Cardiology, 47(7), 100931.
Hadi, A., Askarpour, M., Salamat, S., Ghaedi, E., Symonds, M. E., & Miraghajani, M. (2020). Effect of flaxseed supplementation on lipid profile: An updated systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of sixty-two randomized controlled trials. Pharmacological research, 152, 104622.
Macsai M.S. (2008). The role of omega-3 dietary supplementation in blepharitis and meibomian gland dysfunction (an AOS thesis). Transactions of the American Ophthalmological Society, 106, 336–356.
Jamilian, M. , Tabassi, Z. , Reiner, Ž. , Panahandeh, I. , Naderi, F. , Aghadavod, E. , Amirani, E. , Taghizadeh, M. , Shafabakhsh, R. , Satari, M. , Mansournia, M. A. , Memarzadeh, M. R. & Asemi, Z. (2020). British Journal of Nutrition, 123 (7), 792-799. doi: 10.1017/S0007114519003416.
Xi, H., Zhou, W., Sohaib, M., Niu, Y., Zhu, R., Guo, Y., … & Guo, L. (2023). Flaxseed supplementation significantly reduces hemoglobin A1c in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Nutrition Research, 110, 23-32.
Poorbaferani, F., Rouhani, M. H., Heidari, Z., Poorbaferani, M., & Safavi, S. M. (2020). Flaxseed oil supplementation on severity of depression and brain-derived neurotrophic factor: A randomized, double blind placebo controlled clinical trial. International Journal of Food Properties, 23(1), 1518-1526.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (n.d.). Flaxseed and flaxseed oil: Usefulness and safety. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/flaxseed-and-flaxseed-oil
WebMD. (n.d.). Flaxseed oil: Overview, uses, side effects, precautions, interactions, dosing and reviews. WebMD. https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-990/flaxseed-oil
Drugs.com. (2024). Flax uses, benefits & dosage. https://www.drugs.com/npp/flax.html

The material is prepared for informational purposes only and should not be construed as a piece of personal medical advice. Owing to each person’s varying health needs, a physician should be consulted before acting on any information provided in this material. Although every effort is made to ensure that this material is accurate, it is compiled for internal use only and should not be considered definitive. Neither VitaHealth nor its employees, or information providers shall be responsible or liable for any errors, inaccuracies, or other defects in the information contained in this publication.