Flaxseed could lower the risk of breast cancer: new study

Flaxseeds are one of nature’s superfoods.

They’re high in fiber and omega-3 fatty acids, as well as plant-based compounds known as lignans, according to the Mayo Clinic.

And a new study, published today in the journal Microbiology Spectrum, suggests that the lignans in flaxseed might help lower the risk of breast cancer by altering the microorganisms in the gut.

In the study, flaxseed lignans were shown to change the relationship between gut microorganisms and mammary gland microRNAs (miRNAs), which regulate the genes involved in breast cancer cell growth and migration.

“The gastrointestinal microbiota plays an important role in modifying many components of our diet to impact human health,” Dr. Jennifer Auchtung, assistant professor at the University of Nebraska – Lincoln, said in a news release.

“In this study, we found correlations between diets enriched in flaxseed … and miRNA profiles in the mammary gland that regulate many pathways, including those involved in cancer development,” Auchtung added.

Flaxseed benefits

Flaxseed is often used to improve digestive health and relieve constipation — it’s especially beneficial when ground because the whole seeds can pass through the digestive system without delivering the same level of benefits.

Flaxseed can also help lower total blood cholesterol and LDL (or “bad”) cholesterol levels, which helps reduce the risk of heart disease.

The Mayo Clinic offers the following tips for adding flaxseed to your diet:

• Add a tablespoon of ground flaxseed to breakfast cereal
• Mix a tablespoon of ground flaxseed into a container of yogurt
• Bake ground flaxseed into cookies, muffins, breads and other baked goods

Flaxseed and breast cancer

To determine whether the link between the gut microbiota and mammary gland miRNAs could be altered to lower the risk of breast cancer, researchers fed flaxseed lignan components to female mice.

The researchers found that the microbiota and the mammary gland miRNA are in fact related, and that flaxseed lignans change the relationship to be non-cancer-causing.

“If these findings are confirmed, the microbiota becomes a new target to prevent breast cancer through dietary intervention,” said Elena M. Comelli, associate professor at the University of Toronto and co-author of the paper.