Safety and Effectiveness of Flaxseed for Reducing High Cholesterol

National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Status and phase

Completed

Phase 3

Phase 2

Conditions

Hypercholesterolemia

Treatments

Behavioral: Flaxseed-supplemented diet

Study type

Interventional

Funder types

NIH

Identifiers

NCT00051415

R21AT001291-01

Details and patient eligibility

About

Flaxseed, a rich source of fiber, may be a significant component of a cholesterol-reducing diet. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of flaxseed in reducing high cholesterol.

Full description

Hypercholesterolemia is an established risk factor for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). The National Cholesterol Education Program estimates that 65 million Americans with hypercholesterolemia could be treated with diet and exercise alone. Flaxseed is a potential component of cholesterol-reducing diet regimens. Flaxseed contains significant amounts of soluble fiber and is a rich source of both alpha-linolenic acid and phytoestrogenic ligands, which have been implicated in the prevention of ASCVD. However, flaxseed's phytoestrogenic ligands may have undesirable hormonal effects. This study will systematically evaluate the safety and efficacy of ground flaxseed ingestion in both men and women with hypercholesterolemia.

Participants will be randomized to receive flaxseed or a matching wheat bran control. The test dose of flaxseed will be 40 grams administered in baked products (muffins, bread, or bars). The first 6 study weeks are a diet stabilization phase, followed by a 10-week study phase in which participants are expected to eat two servings of the test food daily. Blood and urine are collected for analysis, which will include measurement of low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), post-prandial triglycerides, and urinary isoprostane secretion.

Sex

All

Ages

45 to 75 years old

Volunteers

No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion and exclusion criteria

Inclusion Criteria