flaxseed/Synthroid interactions?
Kathy Sanford
Cancer Prevention Diet. I have a strong family history that puts me at
moderate to high risk. I have also had thyroid cancer and take Synthroid to
suppress TSH.
One of Arnot's recommendations is to consume estrogen blockers. The two he
discusses are soy and flaxseed. However, I prefer to avoid eating high
levels of soy because of possible interference with Synthroid and TSH
suppression.
Does anyone know of any interactions between flaxseed and thyroid hormone?
Dr. Arnot recommends 25 grams of flaxseed per day.
Thanks!
Kathy
KC
flaxseed oil and thyroid. In fact, there are several other books that
recommend the use of flaxseed oil -- not just for breast cancer, but to
ensure that you get essential fatty acids. It is generally recommended
for use in salad dressings, on cooked vegetables and on backed
potatoes. It should never be heated. Supposedly it helps lower
cholesterol and triglycerides, has anti-inflammatory effects, and
enhances immune function.
As for the soy/thyroid connection, in the reading I have done, it has
been pointed out that the only problem found between soy products and
thyroid function was tied to the use of baby formula. If I recall
correctly, once iodine was added to the formula, the problem was
solved. There have been no studies (to my knowledge -- I'm sure someone
will correct me if I'm wrong) indicating that soy has any effect on
thyroid function in adults. To quote from "Your Thyroid: A Home
Reference":
"... In the 1950s,..., soy protein was found to be the cause of goiter
and iodine deficiency in infants who were fed soy formula instead of
milk because of milk allergy. This problem was corrected simply by
adding iodine to the soy formula. Soy protein is now being used in
increasing quantities in adult foods as an inexpensive source of
protein. At present there is no evidence that it is doing us any harm,
probably because of the abundane of iodine in our diets."
(I've read similar statements from other sources, but don't have them
handy at the moment.)
Just a side note: I've read similar things about certain vegetables
(ie, cabbage, rutabagas, turnips, etc.) interfering with thyroid
function. Additional research indicates that this only occurs if these
are eaten regularly. Eating these veggies on occasion shouldn't pose
any problems.
I haven't read Dr. Arnot's breast cancer book, but I did read his weight
control book and it is excellent! It takes all the best of current
research and advice in the area of nutrition and diet and puts it all in
one book. Following his suggestions, I've lost 12.5 pounds so far!
--
KC
196/183.5/135
Eating smarter since 8/8/98 -- exercising since 9/15/98
(reduced calorie/reduced fat/increased
protein/low-glycemic/high-fiber/vegetarian WOE)
Kathy Sanford
KC -
Thanks for the comprehensive response. I have also read Dr. Arnot's weight
control book and am planning to incorporate some of his recommendations into
an overall healthier living plan.
I have one question: Why do you say flaxseeds shouldn't be heated? Dr.
Arnot says that breast cancer researcher "Lillian Thompson gives her
patients 25 grams per day of brown flaxseed, ground and incorporated in a
whole grain muffin."
I assumed he meant cooked in the muffin, but do you think he means sprinkled
on after cooking? (I don't have any concept of what 25 grams of flaxseed
looks like, volume-wise, but it sounds like alot to sprinkle on a muffin!)
Thanks again.
Kathy
Sara Avery
seed and oil at http://www.lowcarb.org Follow all the links for essential
fatty acids and for Flax. You can grind up the seeds in a coffee grinder
and make a quasi-cereal out of it or add it to muffin mixes, etc. It's
only the oil you shouldn't heat. And if you go the oil route, you want to
make sure that you buy it only out of the refrigerated section of your
health food store and that you are buying it within the dates on the
bottle. Flaxseed oil should taste mildly like walnuts. If it tastes
bitter it is *rancid* and is basically poison to your body - take it back
to the HFS and get your money back. BTW, you can do the capsules, but they
are much more expensive and you still have to break one open to make sure
it's not rancid. Hope this helps!
Sara
Sara Avery
Just in case my other post didn't come through: It's only the oil that you
shouldn't heat. Flax seeds should be ground up if you are going to eat
them, also. I think they are pretty hard to digest whole.
BTW, if you go the oil route, you should buy it cold-pressed and in the
refrigerator at the health food store. Barleans seems to be the best,
freshest brand. You can get a sample from them, even. Go to
http://www.lowcarb.org and follow the links for flax. Flax oil is sweet
and nutty, somewhat like walnuts. The texture takes a bit of getting used
to, but if it tastes bitter it's rancid and you should get a refund for it.
It's very delicate and stores best in the freezer. HTH.
Sara
Kevin G. Rhoads
>looks like, volume-wise, but it sounds like alot to sprinkle on a muffin!)
25 grams is just shy of an ounce. A pint's a pound (the world round) (for water),
so an ounce (of water) is 1 sixteenth of a pint, or 1 eighth of a cup.
Oil is less dense than water, so an ounce of oil would be a bit larger than
an eighth of a cup, but you want 25 grams which is slightly less than an
ounce -- so 1/8 cup should be just about right.
But don't tell Ted I said so, the (within about 10%) approximation given above
could get you killed if you measured that "sloppily" in a chemistry lab. For a
kitchen recipe it should be close enough, you aren't working with high explosives
or reactive mineral acids or such in your kitchen (I hope!).
--
Kevin G. Rhoads, Ph.D. (Yes there is life after CIH)
T_Rhoads@NO_SPAM.MSN.com
krhoads@NO_SPAM.cmpnetmail.com
KC
My reference is a book called "Nutrition Made Simple" (which has a lot
of good stuff, but will basically make you conclude that everything you
eat is bad for you unless you take some of it with a grain of salt).
From what I can determine, certain oils break down when heated, which
destroys their nutrient values and with some may even produce some
dangerous toxins. According to the author, saturated fats are best able
to handle high heat. (There's been some research to indicate that
trans-fatty acids and hydrogenated oils are actually more dangerous to
our health than saturated fats. Confused? Me too.) Polyunsaturated
oils cannot stand high heat without breaking down into dangerous toxins
(safflower, sunflower, corn and walnut oils are listed -- they can be
used for baking, but shouldn't be used for frying -- so I guess baking
is not considered as bad for oils as frying is). Flaxseed oil is
apparently one of the more delicate oils (I have read a couple of
sources that indicate that you should buy it only if it is in an opaque
black plastic container, because light can break it down. It should
also be refrigerated.)
From what I understand, peanut oil and coconut oil hold up best under
high heat for stir-frying. Olive oil is good for anything form salads
to sauteing. Canola oil can be used in baking and low-heat receipes.
Flaxseed oil is probably has the greatest nutrients and health benefits
of all the oils, but is very delicate and doesn't hold up well under
adverse conditions.
Kathy Sanford wrote:
>
> KC -
> Thanks for the comprehensive response. I have also read Dr. Arnot's weight
> control book and am planning to incorporate some of his recommendations into
> an overall healthier living plan.
>
> I have one question: Why do you say flaxseeds shouldn't be heated? Dr.
> Arnot says that breast cancer researcher "Lillian Thompson gives her
> patients 25 grams per day of brown flaxseed, ground and incorporated in a
> whole grain muffin."
>
> I assumed he meant cooked in the muffin, but do you think he means sprinkled
> on after cooking? (I don't have any concept of what 25 grams of flaxseed
> looks like, volume-wise, but it sounds like alot to sprinkle on a muffin!)
>
> Thanks again.
KC
store. While there, I leafed through a couple books on fats and oils.
One was a FAQ on omega-3 fats and said that extensive testing has
indicated no breakdown of flaxseed oil in baking or cooking at lower
temperatures (I don't recall exactly what temperature they drew the line
at, but they specifically referenced baking cookies and muffins with it
as being okay).
The second book was all about fats and oils in your diet. It said that
you should NEVER heat flaxseed oil.
Your guess is as good as mine.
Sara Avery
than
an eighth of a cup, but you want 25 grams which is slightly less than an
ounce -- so 1/8 cup should be just about right.>>
I think they were talking about 25g. of ground seeds, right? The doseage
I've heard for oil is 1 tablespoon for every 100 pounds you weigh, split up
over the day, if you can. Read in the websites, too
(http://www.lowcarb.org then follow flax links) but I think it's more
effective if you take it with Vit. E.
Sara
AMChismar
it can become rancid quickly if not frozen(for storage). Could someone please
inform me as to the proper storage?
Thank you--
KC
very delicate oil, which can be easily damaged by heat or light, so
freezing and thawing may not be such a good idea. (Perhaps someone else
might know better.)
I do know it should be refrigerated, and it should be in an opaque
container (preferably black plastic) to keep it from light because it
does break down very easily.
If uncertain (and if there's no date on the bottle), I'd be tempted to
just buy a fresh bottle. Better safe than sorry.
--
KC
Sara Avery
pretty stable and as long as they still taste like flaxseed, they should be
OK. But if you are talking about the oil - I think even frozen it only
stays good for a year. It is perfectly OK to freeze it. It's the heat it
can't stand.
Sara