Flaxseed and Diabetes

Key Findings:

This review article describes the effects of flaxseed in the prevention and delaying of the onset of type 1 and type 2 diabetes using experimental models of diabetes. Data is presented which shows that flaxseed reduces the postprandial rise in serum glucose in humans. It also reduces levels of serum glucose and insulin in hypercholesterolemic individuals. Flaxseed oil has no effect on serum glucose. Flax lignan complex reduces serum glucose and HbA1C in human subjects and animal models. SDG reduces the development of type 1 diabetes by 73-75% and delays the development of type 2 diabetes in animal models. Both type 1 and type 2 diabetes are associated with increases in oxidative stress. Prevention and delaying of development of diabetes with SDG are associated with a reduction in oxidative stress.

 ABSTRACT:

Flaxseed contains 32% to 45% of its mass as oil of which 51% to 55% is &-linolenic acid. Flax lignan complex and secoisolariciresinol diglucoside (SDG) have been isolated from flaxseed. Flaxseed and its components have antioxidant, hypolipidemic and hypoglycemic effects. These are mostly due to the SDG content. Oxidative stress has been implicated in both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Flaxseed, flaxseed oil and flax lignan complex have not been investigated as to whether they reduce the incidence of diabetes and/or delay the development of diabetes. However, their effects on serum glucose have been studied. Flaxseed and flax lignan complex improve glycemic control. Animal models of type I diabetes involving streptozotocin administration or utilizing Bio-Breed diabetic (BBdp) prone rats are associated with oxidative stress. SDG treatment reduced the incidence of diabetes using serum glucose levels by 75% in the streptozotocin model of diabetes and by 72% in the BBdp rat model of diabetes. These reductions in development of diabetes were associated with decreases in oxidative stress measured by serum and pancreatic malondialdehyde (MDA). SDG delays the development of diabetes in Zucker diabetic fatty (ZDF) rat model of type 2 diabetes and this effect was associated with a reduction in serum MDA and glycated haemoglobin A1C. The data suggest that SDG may have a great poten- tial for reducing the incidence of type 1 diabetes and delaying the development of type 2 diabetes in humans. (Authors abstract)