Research

Mixed

Daily consumption of 40g ground flaxseed significantly reduces LDL cholesterol in hypercholesterolemic adults, but this effect is transient and diminishes by 10 weeks.

Take 40g of ground flaxseed daily with a heart-healthy diet. Expect your LDL cholesterol to drop significantly within the first month, but be aware this benefit may fade after 10 weeks. Don't stop using it, as it still improves insulin sensitivity and lowers Lp(a).

GoodQualifiesHIGH confidence
Compared to wheat, flaxseed significantly reduced LDL-C at 5 weeks (-13%, p < 0.005), but not at 10 weeks (-7%, p > 0.07).
LeAnne T. Bloedon et al. · Journal of the American College of Nutrition · 2008

Why this rating

Double-blind, randomized, controlled trial with a reasonable sample size (n=62) and strict dietary controls.

Source

Flaxseed and Cardiovascular Risk Factors: Results from a Double Blind, Randomized, Controlled Clinical Trial

LeAnne T. Bloedon et al. · Journal of the American College of Nutrition · 2008

DOI 10.1080/07315724.2008.10719676

rct · n=62Cited 258×
Read the paper
DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10

This is one finding among thousands. Every one is graded and traced to its source, so you can see what the evidence actually supports. Browse the research →