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Evidence-Based Supplement Research
Evidence-Based Supplement Research
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flaxseed and Reduced High-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol Level

Research synthesisLow evidenceSmall effect3 studies · 0 beneficial · 2 neutral · 1 harmful

Across 3 studies, the evidence on flaxseed supplementation for reducing high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) is mixed: no studies found a beneficial effect, 2 reported neutral effects, and 1 reported a small harmful effect (statistically significant reduction in HDL-C). The only significant finding suggests flaxseed may slightly lower HDL-C in postmenopausal women, but the predominant effect size is small and the overall direction is neutral to harmful. No consistent dose or form data were available, and study durations were not consistently reported.

  • Studied populations: postmenopausal women

Caveats: Evidence base is small (only 3 studies) — conclusions should be considered preliminary. Only 1 out of 3 studies reached statistical significance, and that study showed a harmful effect (small reduction in HDL-C), while the other 2 found no significant change. The neutral studies included populations with type 2 diabetes and coronary artery disease, indicating that effects may vary by population.

Generated Jun 10, 2026
3 of 3 papers
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