Flaxseed Oil Fends Off Osteoporosis

CAIRO, EgyptAdding flaxseed oil to diet may delay the onset of osteoporosis in post-menopausal women and women with diabetes, according to new study research at the National Research Center.

Researchers studied 70 female albino rats of which 30 had their ovaries removed (ovx) to simulate the post-menopausal state and experimental diabetes was present in one group of rodents. The rats were classified in groups as control, sham, diabetic, diabetic received flaxseed oil in the diet, ovx, ovx-diabetic and ovx-diabetic received flaxseed oil in the diet. After two months, the team collected urine and blood samples and measured serum insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) and the bone-creating protein osteocalcin.

They found that these two compounds were present at higher levels in the ovx and the diabetic ovx groups, but much lower in the non-ovx diabetic group. The concentrations of IGF-1 and osteocalcin could be raised to normal levels by adding flaxseed oil to the diet. Researchers also found levels of urinary deoxypyridinoline were raised in the diabetic group; the level was decreased as rats received flaxseed oil. Bone mineral density and content in diabetic group were reduced and normalized after receiving flaxseed oil.

The study was published in the International Journal of Food Safety, Nutrition and Public Health.