Flaxseed 'has no effect on menopause symptoms'

Thursday, 8 September 2011 1:39 PM

Bad news ladies - flaxseed may not be a miracle cure for the menopause, despite previous reports singing its praises.

It was hoped flaxseed could ease hot flushes, not just during the menopause but also for breast cancer patients. In 2007, research was published suggesting 40 grams of crushed flaxseed daily might help manage menopause symptoms.

But a study by Mayo Clinic physician and North Central Cancer Treatment Group followed 188 women for three months and found no difference between flaxseed and a placebo.

Dr Sandhya Pruthi, of Mayo Clinic's Breast Diagnostic Clinic, said: "While preliminary data from our 2007 pilot study showed a reduction in hot flashes associated with the consumption of ground flaxseed, our new study did not result in a significant decrease in hot flashes with eating flaxseed compared to placebo."

That said, flaxseed does have a role to play in a healthy balanced diet and is useful for upping fibre intake to combat constipation.

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