The Latest Supernutrients – Plant Lignans

Recently discovered and still being researched

What are Lignans?

Lignans, despite the strange name, are naturally occurring plant chemicals (phytochemicals) that can have powerful and wide-ranging health benefits. They are found mainly in seed and grain husks, the strongest concentration by far being in flaxseed, also known as linseed.

For the technically minded, the lignan found in flaxseed is called secoisolariciresinol glucoside, SDG for short. SDG is acted on in the intestine by beneficial bacteria and converted into animal lignans, which act as hormone precursors. These two chemicals, called ED and EL for short, have strong protective and health-promoting effects.

Lignans have a range of biological properties that make them unique, and are becoming recognised as having strong health-promoting properties and the ability to combat various diseases. No line of research is yet complete, but the most potent results seem to be against breast cancer. This is thought to be because they have phytooestrogenic effects, but also because they are also thought to have fairly strong antioxidant effects. There is some evidence that they reduce the level of “bad” (LDL) cholesterol and can reduce arterial plaque buildup.

Because they regulate oestrogen levels, they are believed to be beneficial for men later in life, when testosterone is lowering and the ratio of oestrogen to testosterone is becoming too high. It is now known that too low, not too high, testosterone is a contributory factor in enlarged prostate and prostate cancer. Testosterone can actually be converted into oestrogen in the body. Lignans block this conversion, and therefore help to keep testosterone levels up, with fairly obvious beneficial effects.

In ladies, because of their phytooestrogenic effects, lignans can help avoid menopausal symptoms.

Lignans have also been shown to help cases of constipation.

The combination of hormone-balancing, antioxidant and system-clearing effects can have good effects on skin and hair condition.

Flaxseed Oil

Flaxseed oil is now becoming recognised as having the ideal mixture of the various types of essential fatty acids (EFAs) necessary to rebalance our body’s supplies after consumption of the modern diet, which is far too high in a type of EFAs called omega-6. Flaxseed oil is very high in omega 3, which are powerful anti-inflammatories, blood thinners and brain boosters among other effects. It also has some omega-9, as in olive oil, and some omega-6.

There has been much discussion of EFAs elsewhere, so extended discussion is not necessary.

Purified flaxseed oil is very low in lignans.

Flaxseed oil and Lignans

From the above discussions, it is fairly obvious that, if lignans originally present in the flax seed are added back into the flaxsed oil, there can be an enormous increase in the health benefits. These should be for:

¨       Prostate health

¨       Bone health

¨       Coronary heart disease

¨       Stroke

¨       High blood pressure

¨       Tendency to blood clots

¨       Anti-inflammatory

¨       Menopausal symptoms

¨       Skin condition

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