Consuming three tablespoons per day of ground flax seeds can prevent hair loss and encourage hair re-growth.

According to an unpublished study, 9 out of 10 men suffering from hair loss saw an improvement in their condition after taking a flax lignan supplement with 50 mg of lignans. Another study reported improvements in BPH symptoms from consuming 300-600 mg of SDG, the main flax lignan.

The study took place at a health company in Taiwan over a six-month period. Ten male sufferers of androgenetic alopecia aged between 20- and 70- years received a 50mg daily dose of SDG in the form of one 250 mg capsule of Acatris’ LinumLife Extra flax lignan supplement product.

The condition of their hair was documented at the beginning of the study by photographs and the men measured their hair loss throughout the period by counting the number of hairs on their pillows each morning.

Initial effects of the flax lignans were noticed on average one to two months into the study, says the company, and the end of the period, eight of the participants reported a modest improvement in their hair loss condition, one reported a great improvement and one reported no effect at all. The more severe the participant’s hair loss condition at the start of the trial, the more noticeable the improvement.

Half the subjects also noted decreased oil secretion in their scalp. No adverse effects were reported.

This pilot study confirms earlier research on flax lignans with respect to their promise in the care of AGA and without the sometimes harmful effects of a prescription medication.

Note: These findings have been backed up by practical experience.

Many people have reported that there is most definitely a positive outcome in consistently incorporating 2-3 tablespoons of freshly ground flax seeds in one’s diet and hair restoration.

How does flaxseed help fight hair loss?

Flaxseeds contain lignans.  Lignans are a class of plant fibers which are found in the cell walls of plants, seeds, grains and vegetables. Lignans have been studied extensively for their potentially valuable health benefits.

While most of the attention surrounding flax seed has been its source of essential fatty acids, recent studies and research have revealed that the substance called “lignan” within flaxseed may surpass flax oil in its health benefits.

The main sources of lignans in the diet come from whole grains, legumes, certain fruits and vegetables. However, flaxseed is known as the richest source of lignans, providing up to 800 times more than other tested plant sources.

Because the typical Western diet is low in these foods, many individuals do not consume enough lignans daily to obtain their health benefits. According to a recent estimate, Americans consume less than 1 mg lignans per day. Therefore, there is a large gap between the amounts of lignans consumed and the amount needed for health promotion. This gap can be filled by consuming supplements containing flax lignans, one to three tablespoons of ground flaxseed per day, or a diet rich in whole grains, fruits and vegetables.

How do flax seed lignans help reverse hair loss?

The mechanism through which flax lignans might work reverse hair loss is not known, but a possible explanation is that SDG (a phytoestrogen) inhibits 5-alpha-reductase or androgen receptor binding.

Dihydrotestosterone (DHT), a potent form of the male hormone testosterone, can get inside hair follicles and make them shrink so that they produce thinner hair and eventually none at all.  Secoisolariciresinol diglucoside (SDG), the main flax lignan, can help prevent this by inhibiting production of the enzyme that converts testosterone into DHT, called 5-alpha reductase.

Lignans help prevent or reverse hair loss partly due to the facts that the lignan constituents in plants, such as secoisolariciresinol diglycoside (SDG) in flaxseed, resemble the hormone estrogen. Lignans are thus classified as phytoestrogens.  Like other phytoestregens, they hook onto the same spots (receptors) on the cells where estrogen attaches.  When natural estrogen is abundant in the body, lignans reduce estrogen’s effects by displacing it from cells.  This displacement of the hormone can help prevent hair loss.

Specifically, the lignans of the flax help balance hormonal levels. There is a powerful lignan within the hull called secoisolariciresinol diglycoside (SDG).

It is the SDG lignan that seems to help balance estrogen levels in the body. This is the reason why scientists have regarded it seriously by testing to see the influence of flax on breast cancer, an estrogenic condition.

Important! Use fresh ground whole flaxseeds NOT flaxseed oil

The lignans in the flaxseed are what’s believe to be the key ingredient, not the flax oil. Flax oil contains only a minute amount of lignans.

Important! The ground flaxseeds must be fresh to be of any benefit for hair re-growth

Rancid ground flax seeds are toxic and will do absolutely nothing towards solving your hair loss problem.

I would strongly recommended buying whole flaxseeds and grinding them yourself as opposed to buying ground flaxseeds.

Flaxseeds go rancid more quickly after being ground up into meal. For this reason I  recommend to buy whole flax seed and grind it into meal yourself (this takes seconds in a blender or coffee grinder).

I would not recommend buying pre-ground flaxseed meal for the simple reason that you have no idea how long the product has been sitting on the store shelf.

Buy whole flax seeds, keep them in the refrigerator, and grind enough for a week at a time in a coffee grinder or blender.

Flax seeds can be purchased in the bulk section of natural food stores and in most large grocery stores. Once flax seeds are ground they go rancid more quickly, thus should be stored in the refrigerator or freezer. Once ground the flax seed should be used within 60 days. Be sure to refrigerate. Flax seeds absorb 5 to 6 times their weight in water, so it is especially important to drink plenty of fluids when consuming ground seeds.

Whole flax seed stays fresh for up to a year if stored correctly.

Suggested use: To stimulate new hair growth take whole flax seeds, grind them in a coffee grinder and sprinkle them in  on cereal, salads, oatmeal or your dish of choice. Include flax seed in smoothies.  Take about 1 1/2 tablespoons a day.

To receive the most benefits from the the flax lignans, it is highly advisable to take a concentrated flax hull supplement product.

Flax Hulls contain the highest levels of lignans called secoisolariciresinol glucoside or SDG which, when converted to mammalian lignans (ED and EL) by good bacteria, are powerful antioxidants and potent free radical scavengers.

Flax Hulls (Lignans) are the natural organic shells of the flaxseed without any seed materials or oil. The shell of the flaxseed is known and proven to contain very high levels of botanical lignans especially SDG. When the hull is separated, the content of SDG becomes very concentrated.

Concentrated Flax Hull Lignans are not flax seeds. Rather, they are concentrated directly — using a special process — from flax seed shells, or hulls, which typically don’t make it into the bags of flax seed in the store.

The nutrients contained in flax seeds are highly concentrated in the shells — one teaspoon of Concentrated Flax Hull Lignans contains the nutritional equivalent of two gallons of flax seed.

Flax hulls are also nutritious fibers containing both soluble and insoluble fibers and Vitamin B12 in the form of Cobalamin

A highly recommended flax lignan supplement product is LinumLife Extra.

LinumLife Extra was launched in the US in December 2004. Extracted from flax hulls by a patented process, it is the most potent flax lignum product on the market. It is a more concentrated extract than the original LinumLife, launched in June 2003.

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