Re: LDL cholesterol and diet question

Sat, 17 Dec 2005 05:00:01 +0200 in article
<17r6q1dr710p2ln9vefh2ofs8baju97l5g@xxxxxxx> Matti Narkia <narkia@xxxxxxxxx>
wrote:

> Most fat should be monounsaturated, for example
>from extra virgin olive oil, almonds, and avocado. You should also get
>enough omega-3 fatty acids, for example from fatty fish, fish oil and
>walnuts.

Cretan traditional Mediterranean diet is rich in omega-3 alpha-linolenic
acid. Its main sources in Crete were walnuts, snails, and purslane. Some
researchers consider alpha-linolenic acid to be an important factor in the
effects of the diet. Purslane ans snails may not be commonly available (or
liked), but walnuts and flaxseeds are. To enable digestion of flaxseeds they
should of course be ground before use for example in electric coffee
grinder. But there is a problem with alpha-linolenic acid for men: in
epidemiological studies it has been associated with increased prostate
cancer risk, see

Brouwer IA, Katan MB, Zock PL.
Dietary alpha-linolenic acid is associated with reduced risk of fatal
coronary heart disease, but increased prostate cancer risk: a meta-analysis.
J Nutr. 2004 Apr;134(4):919-22.
PMID: 15051847 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
<http://www.nutrition.org/cgi/content/full/134/4/919>

However, flaxseeds contain lignans, phytoestrogens with possible anticancer
effects. Some preliminary studies suggest that flaxseeds may not promote
prostate cancer, but may instead inhibit its growth:

Demark-Wahnefried W, Price DT, Polascik TJ, Robertson CN, Anderson EE,
Paulson DF, Walther PJ, Gannon M, Vollmer RT.
Pilot study of dietary fat restriction and flaxseed supplementation in men
with prostate cancer before surgery: exploring the effects on hormonal
levels, prostate-specific antigen, and histopathologic features.
Urology. 2001 Jul;58(1):47-52.
PMID: 11445478 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
<http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=11445478>

Demark-Wahnefried W, Robertson CN, Walther PJ, Polascik TJ, Paulson DF,
Vollmer RT.
Pilot study to explore effects of low-fat, flaxseed-supplemented diet on
proliferation of benign prostatic epithelium and prostate-specific antigen.
Urology. 2004 May;63(5):900-4.
PMID: 15134976 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
<http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=15134976>

Lin X, Gingrich JR, Bao W, Li J, Haroon ZA, Demark-Wahnefried W.
Effect of flaxseed supplementation on prostatic carcinoma in transgenic
mice.
Urology. 2002 Nov;60(5):919-24.
PMID: 12429338 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
<http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=12429338>


--
Matti Narkia
.