Flaxseed oil
Brand Names
Flax, Aceite de Linaza, Acide Alpha-Linolénique, Acide Gras Oméga 3, Acide Gras N-3, ALA, Aliviraaii, Alpha-Linolenic Acid, Alasi, Brown Flaxseed Oil, Brown-Seeded Flax Oil, Common Flax Oil, Echter Lein, Flachs, Flachssamen, Flax Oil, Flax Seed Oil, Golden Flax OilWhat is Flaxseed oil
Flaxseed oil is the oil from the seed of the flax plant. You have to know that flaxseed oil does not contain all of the active components found in flaxseed.
Flaxseed oil is used for many conditions, but scientists do not have enough evidence to determine whether or not it is effective for any of them.
Side effects of Flaxseed oil
The possible side effects of Flaxseed oil include:
- Any signs of bleeding: easy bruising or cuts that do not stop bleeding; black, tarry stools; bright-red blood in the stool; vomiting blood (signs of gastrointestinal bleeding)
- Signs of a hemorrhagic stroke such as vision or speech changes, weakness or numbness in an arm or leg or a severe headache
- Signs of an allergic reaction: an unexplained rash; hives; itching; unexplained swelling; wheezing; difficulty breathing or swallowing
Indication
Flaxseed oil is commonly used for treating osteoarthritis, anxiety, benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), vaginal infections, dry eyes, “hardening of the arteries” (atherosclerosis), high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes and attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
In some cases, people use flaxseed oil as a laxative for constipation, for weight loss and to prevent breast cancer and prostate cancer.
Flaxseed oil is also applied to the skin to sooth irritations or soften roughness.
It can be used in foods as cooking oil and in margarines.
Precautions
You should not use flax if you have:
- a narrowing of the esophagus or another stomach area, an intestinal obstruction or other stomach or intestinal problems
- certain intestinal problems
- prostate problems or difficulty with urination
- allergies (especially to plants), any medical condition
- are taking any other medicines or other herbal supplements
- are pregnant, plan to become pregnant or breastfeeding
Dosage forms
The recommended dose is 1 or 2 teaspoonfuls of flaxseed oil for a variety of uses. It is not known if such doses are effective for these uses. Although flaxseed oil can be swallowed plain, it is more palatable when used in food such as in a salad dressing.
