PlainPill

Flaxseed

People mainly take Flaxseed for digestion, energy, hormones. Based on 9 first-hand reports and 62 meta-analyses & systematic reviews in the medical literature. Ranked #948 of 1,974 overall.

15
User score
Mostly negative
11% positive0% mixed11% negative78% unclear

Of reports that state an outcome, 50% are positive.

Clinical research
AStrong research base
62
meta-analyses
217
RCTs
3,055
papers

What Flaxseed does, according to users

Of the people who reported each effect, the share who said it got better.

What the research says

Systematic reviews and meta-analyses from PubMed, with their published conclusions.

AStrong research base

3+ meta-analyses or systematic reviews and 10+ randomized controlled trials in humans. The grade measures how much human research exists — read the conclusions below for what it found.

J Lipid Res · 2018 · Meta-analysis / systematic review
Effects of oils and solid fats on blood lipids: a systematic review and network meta-analysis

Conclusion: Safflower, sunflower, rapeseed, flaxseed, corn, olive, soybean, palm, and coconut oil as well beef fat were more effective in reducing LDL-C (-0.42 to -0.23 mmol/l) as compared with butter. Despite limitations in these data, our NMA findings are in line with existing evidence on the metabolic effects of fat and support current recommendations to replace high saturated-fat food with unsaturated oils.

PubMed 30006369 ↗
Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr · 2022 · Meta-analysis / systematic review
Functional foods modulating inflammation and metabolism in chronic diseases: a systematic review

Conclusion: Foods identified to regulate inflammation included cranberries, grapes, pomegranate, strawberries, wheat, whole grain products, low fat dairy products, yogurt, green tea, cardamom, turmeric, soy foods, almonds, chia seeds, flaxseed, pistachios, algae oil, flaxseed oil and grape seed oil. Clinical trials that focus on a dietary pattern rich in functional foods are necessary to explore if the additive effect of these foods lead to more clinically relevant outcomes.

PubMed 33506690 ↗
Adv Nutr · 2022 · Meta-analysis / systematic review
Impact of α-Linolenic Acid, the Vegetable ω-3 Fatty Acid, on Cardiovascular Disease and Cognition

Conclusion: The role of ALA in cognition is in the early stages but shows promising evidence of counteracting cognitive impairment. Much has been learned about the health benefits of ALA and with additional research we will be better positioned to make strong evidence-based dietary recommendations for the reduction of many chronic diseases.

PubMed 35170723 ↗
Front Nutr · 2025 · Meta-analysis / systematic review
Evaluating the effects of seed oils on lipid profile, inflammatory and oxidative markers, and glycemic control of diabetic and dyslipidemic patients: a systematic review of clinical studies

Conclusion: The findings suggest that seed oils may benefit in managing diabetes and dyslipidemia, although the results are sometimes inconsistent. This review provides valuable insights for dietary recommendations and therapeutic strategies, highlighting the need for further research to clarify the role of seed oils in metabolic health.

PubMed 39996006 ↗

Dosage people report

As stated by users — not a recommendation. Follow the label or your doctor.

daily in breakfastas reported
1-2 tbspdaily
3 tbspdaily

Reported side effects

How often each side effect came up across all reports.

No side effects reported so far.

What users say

Verbatim quotes, shortened only — each links to the original discussion.

“flaxseed plant based hormones don't translate to human hormones.”
Source discussion ↗
“Flax seed is a potent estrogenic so you'll feel a decrease in energy from lower testosterone.”
Source discussion ↗
“I’ve heard flaxseed has some properties that mimic estrogen”
Source discussion ↗
“Flax seed omega-3 is mostly ALA which is short chained and not as important as EPA/DHA”
Source discussion ↗
“I eat 3tbsp of flax seed everyday and had high ALA and low DHA”
Source discussion ↗
Top discussions (5)

Other options for digestion

User data from public discussions; research from PubMed. Information only, not medical advice — talk to a doctor before starting, stopping or combining anything. Data updated October 2, 2026. How we rate