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Effect of Flaxseed (Linum usitatissimum L.) Supplementation on Vascular Endothelial Cell Morphology and Function in Patients with Dyslipidaemia-A Preliminary Observation.

  • 2022-07-13
  • Nutrients 14(14)
    • Dominika Kanikowska
    • Agnieszka Malińska
    • Agnieszka Mickiewicz
    • Agnieszka Zawada
    • Rafał Rutkowski
    • Krzysztof Pawlaczyk
    • Maki Sato
    • Andrzej Bręborowicz
    • Janusz Witowski
    • Katarzyna Korybalska

Study Design

Type
Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT)
Population
Eleven lean patients with severe dyslipidaemia treated with apheresis (group 1) and eleven obese patients with mild dyslipidaemia-not treated with apheresis (group 2)
Methods
10 weeks of supplementation with flaxseed (28 g/day) in a crossover design: group 1 had four phases (ordinary diet, ordinary diet + flaxseed, ordinary diet wash out, ordinary diet + placebo); group 2 had two phases (ordinary diet, low fat diet + flaxseed). Serum was collected and ECs were exposed in vitro to pooled serum.
Blinding
Single-blind
Duration
10 weeks
Funding
Unclear
  • Rigorous Journal

Context

Flaxseed has a characteristic fatty acids composition and unique phytonutrient profile that may have health-promoting properties.

Objective

This study aimed to determine the effects of 10 weeks of supplementation with the flaxseed (28 g/day) on endothelial cells (EC) function, serum lipids and proinflammatory mediators in patients with mild and severe dyslipidaemia.

Materials and methods

Eleven lean patients with severe dyslipidaemia treated with apheresis (group 1; 10 weeks treated in four phases: (i) ordinary diet, (ii) ordinary diet + flaxseed, (iii) ordinary diet (wash out), (iv) ordinary diet + placebo) and eleven obese patients with mild dyslipidaemia-not treated with apheresis (group 2; 10 weeks treated in two phases: (i) ordinary diet, (ii) low fat diet + flaxseed). Flaxseed was given blindly. Serum was collected at the end of each phase of the study. ECs were exposed in vitro to the medium supplemented with pooled serum taken from patients from both groups to detect their morphological changes using light and electron microscopy. ECs proliferation was also measured at the end of each study phase.

Results

Serum vascular endothelial growth factor was decreased after flaxseed supplementation but only in group 1. ECs proliferation was increased after flaxseed supplementation only in obese patients. ECs exposed to medium supplemented with obese patients' serum revealed the following cellular abnormalities: accumulation of lipid droplets, changes of rough endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondria, and flaxseed did not reverse observed changes. At the same time, flaxseed supplementation decreases total cholesterol in both tested groups, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol in group 1 and triglycerides in group 2.

Conclusions

Our findings support the potential role of flaxseed in treating dyslipidaemia but indicate only a slight impact on endothelial cell function.

Research Insights

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