Type 2 diabetes is characterized partially by elevated fasting blood serum glucose and insulin concentrations and the percentage of hemoglobin as HbA1c. It was hypothesized that each of blood glucose and its co-factors insulin and HbA1c and would show a more favorable profile as the result of flaxseed oil supplementation. Patients were recruited at random from a population pool responding to a recruitment advertisement in the local newspaper and 2 area physicians. Completing the trial were 10 flaxseed oil males, 8 flaxseed oil females, 8 safflower (placebo) oil males and 6 safflower oil females. Patients visited on two pre-treatment occasions each three months apart (visits 1 and 2). At visit 2 subjects were randomly assigned in double blind fashion and in equal gender numbers to take flaxseed oil or safflower oil for three further months until visit 3. Oil consumption in both groups was ~ 10 g/d. ALA intake in the intervention group was ~ 5.5 g/d. Power was 0.80 to see a difference of 1 mmol of glucose /L using 12 subjects per group with a p < 0.05. Flaxseed oil had no impact on fasting blood serum glucose, insulin or HbA1c levels. It is concluded that high doses of flaxseed oil have no effect on glycemic control in type 2 diabetics.

Platelet hyper-aggregation is a serious manifestation of type 2 diabetes and a precipitating factor in the most frequent cause of death in type 2 diabetes-myocardial infarction. Consumption of flaxseed oil as a dietary supplement containing alpha-linolenic acid (ALA, 18:3 n-3) through its metabolism to eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, 20:5 n-3) and subsequent production of anti-aggregatory eicosanoids may reduce such aggregation in vivo. Lp (a) may also influence platelet aggregation in vivo. Furthermore, serum Lp(a) concentrations are increased and bleeding time is decreased in type 2 diabetics presenting an enhanced risk of myocardial infarction. It was hypothesised that Lp(a) and bleeding time would be correlated due to the considerable molecular homology between apolipoprotein (a) and plasminogen which should decrease bleeding time. Bleeding time is an excellent measure of in vivo platelet aggregability. One purpose of this study was to determine the impact flaxseed oil consumption on bleeding time compared to those on safflower oil and to determine the impact of Lp(a) on bleeding time. It was a secondary purpose to determine if there were any gender differences pre-or pre-post treatment in bleeding time. Subjects (N 40) were randomly divided to take either the treatment, flaxseed oil (N 20) or the placebo, safflower oil (N 20). Each of the treatment or placebo groups contained equal numbers of males (N 10) and females (N 10). Some subjects dropped from the study due to reasons not related to treatment side effects. Subjects came for 3 visits, each 3 months apart. On each visit age, gender and BMI were recorded and bleeding time was performed. At the completion of visit 2, subjects were randomly assigned to take 1 gram of oil per 10 kg body weight each day for 3 months. Comparing pre-and post-treatment, there was a statistically significant increase in bleeding time in the flaxseed oil group including each of males and females while there was no change in the safflower group in total or by gender. Males had a statistically shorter bleeding time pre-treatment while males and females showed no difference post-treatment with flaxseed oil consumption. Males and females showed a non-significant correlation and statistically significant correlation respectively between pre-treatment values for Lp(a) and bleeding time. The statistically significant correlation also held for the whole population though at a lower value than females. It is concluded that flaxseed oil consumption has a statistically significant effect on slowing bleeding time thus likely reducing the risk of myocardial infarction and that such effect is more profound in males than females suggesting a greater efficacy of flaxseed oil administration for type 2 diabetic males. It is concluded that type

It is concluded that some lignans appear to have the potential to manage at least three members of the cluster of seven in pre- or post-T2D onset and hence reduce polypharmacy but much more investigation is required to confirm if such is the case. At the moment there is not enough evidence that any of the lignans will, in the long or short term, safely and efficaciously manage the cluster of seven via polypharmacy reduction.

Platelet hyper-aggregation is a serious manifestation of type 2 diabetes and a precipitating factor in the most frequent cause of death in patients with type 2 diabetesmyocardial infarction. Consumption of flaxseed oil as a dietary supplement containing alphalinolenic acid (ALA, 18:3 n-3) through its metabolism to eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, 20:5 n-3) and subsequent production of antiaggregatory eicosanoids may reduce such aggregation in vivo. Lipoprotein(a) (Lp (a)) may also influence platelet aggregation in vivo. Furthermore, serum Lp(a) concentrations are increased and bleeding time is decreased in patients with type 2 diabetes, presenting an enhanced risk of myocardial infarction. It was hypothesized that Lp(a) and bleeding time would be correlated due to the considerable molecular homology between apolipoprotein(a) and plasminogen, which should decrease bleeding time. Bleeding time is an excellent measure of in vivo platelet aggregability. The purpose of this study was to determine, if as the result of flaxseed oil consumption, Lp(a) influences the mechanism of any change in bleeding time. A secondary purpose was to determine if gender differences exist in the response of bleeding time to Lp(a) in flaxseed oil consumers. Subjects (n = 40) were randomized to treatment with flaxseed oil (n = 20) or a safflower oil placebo (n = 20). Each of groups contained equal numbers of males (n = 10) and females (n= 10). Some subjects dropped from the study due to reasons not related to treatment side effects. Subjects came for three visits, each three months apart. On each visit, age, gender, and BMI were recorded, bleeding time was performed, and serum Lp(a) concentrations were determined. At the completion of visit 2, subjects were randomized to 1 g of oil per 10 kg body weight each day for three months. Compared with pretreatment measurements, there was a statistically significant increase in bleeding time in the flaxseed oil group among both males and females posttreatment. In contrast, there was no change in the safflower group regardless of gender. Males had a statistically shorter bleeding time pretreatment while males and females showed no difference posttreatment with flaxseed oil consumption. Pretreatment values for Lp(a) and bleeding time showed a nonsignificant correlation among males and a statistically significant correlation among females. A statistically significant correlation also held when all males and females in the study were combined though at a lower value than in females. Significant correlations were lost and/or maintained upon administration of flaxseed oil and safflower oil, respectively. It is also concluded that serum Lp(a) concentrations remain unchanged following flaxseed oil consumption; thus, at least in part

Objective. The intent of the present study was to test two hypotheses. The primary hypothesis was that there would be differences between blood serum individual free fatty acids (SIFFA) and serum individual total fatty acids (SITFA) in terms of their different relationships (correlations) to each of homeostatic model assessment-individual insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) and homeostatic model assessment-individual insulin resistance-percentage β-cell function (HOMA-% β) remaining in human type 2 diabetic patients with pre-flaxseed oil (FXO) and pre-safflower oil (SFO) administration. The secondary hypothesis was that FXO (rich in alpha-linolenic acid, ALA) supplementation would alter these correlations differently in the SIFFA and STIFFA pools in comparison with the placebo SFO (poor in ALA). Methods. Patients were recruited via a newspaper advertisement and two physicians. All patients came to visit 1 and three months later to visit 2. At visit 2, the subjects were randomly assigned (double-blind) to flaxseed or safflower oil (placebo) treatment for three months until visit 3. Results. There were pre-intervention differences in the SIFFA and STIFA pool’s relationships with each of HOMA-IR and HOMA-% β. These relatioships remained either unchanged or became significant after intervention (treatment or placebo). There was a negative correlation found between HOMA-IR and serum free ALA (SFALA) mol % after FXO. Serum total ALA (STALA) mol % had no significant correlations with HOMA-IR and HOMA- % β before and after flaxseed oil administration. Conclusions. The SIFFA and SITFA pools have different relationships with HOMA-IR and HOMA-% β for each of pre- and post-intervention. It is concluded that the data support both the primary and the secondary hypotheses indicating that they are correct.