> -----Original Message-----
> From: Paleolithic Eating Support List 
> [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Susan Carmack
> Sent: Wednesday, November 29, 2006 2:23 PM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Restless Leg, Raw Dairy, Meat - was Cooking Fats
> 
...
> G: And there definitely are lectins in flax
> which cause reactions in the sensitive
> 
> Me: I agree. When I eat flax products, I get cracked lips.
> 
...


I think it's wise that you avoid flax products, Susan, since they give you
cracked lips. It's like the old joke when the patient said to the doctor,
"It hurts when I do this," and the doctor responds "Then don't do that!" :)

No one provided any references for criticisms of flaxseed oil, so I did a
search to try to find them myself. It's difficult to find any research or
expert that is highly critical of flaxseed oil. I found a warning against
flaxseed oil taken from Protein Power, but discovered that the authors,
Michael and Mary Eades, later changed their minds, though they still give a
caution for certain people. Here's what they said:

"Since we wrote the section on eicosanoids, we have had brain transplants.
(Unfortunately when Mike wrote that section he had fallen under the evil
influence of our good friend, Barry Sears.) We, too, now believe that flax
seed oil can be valuable and we take it ourselves and use it on many of our
patients. However, in some people (those who are very ill, the elderly,
diabetics, and certain others) the enzyme that converts LA to GLA may
function poorly, in which case, the inhibitory effect of flax oil on
delta-6-desaturase may be enough to cause problems." 

Dr. Sears now advocates flaxseed oil and even sells it via his website
(http://www.zonediet.com/public/fish-oil-vs-flax-seed-oil.aspx). Quite an
about-face for him, after having convinced the Eades to warn against the
stuff.

Given the arguments made here I figured the WAPF people must be against
using flaxseed oil, but no, Mary Enig instead advocates flaxseed oil and
attempts to refute criticisms of it here: Flaxseed and Flaxseed Oils for
Omega-3 Fatty Acids, http://www.westonaprice.org/knowyourfats/flaxseed.html.
She argues that it is a traditional food going back at least to ancient
Egyptian times.

There was a report that suggested there could be a possibility of increased
prostate cancer risk from too much consumption of ALA from flaxseed oil, but
a Johns Hopkins article states: "No real evidence has yet emerged to support
the idea that ALA in flaxseed increases the risk of prostate cancer. (Ask
the Doctor About Flaxseed and Triglycerides,
www.johnshopkinshealthalerts.com/alerts/healthy_living/JohnsHopkinsHealthyLi
vingHealthAlert_548-1.html). Plus, if people are concerned about possibly
exceeding safe levels of ALA they can mix or rotate oils to keep the total
ALA levels down. 

I was unable to find anything about the negative effects of flax lectins. If
anyone has references they can share with us, I would appreciate it. I know
someone who reports having reactions to sunflower seeds and certain tree
nuts, but she believes it is an allergic-type reaction and she reports
responding well to flaxseeds and flaxseed oil. I also know some other people
who are very allergic to tree nuts. Perhaps a reaction to flaxseeds could
also be an allergic reaction in addition to the possibility of a lectin
reaction? If it is a lectin reaction, I would think one would expect
reactions to other foods with similar levels and types of lectins, such as
other seeds and nuts, but I can only speculate because I haven't found any
research or articles on the subject.