Flaxseed and Prostate Cancer:Demon Seed or Seed of Salvation?

Flaxseed has become a subject of controversy in the area of men’s health. Although a rich source of several nutrients and food-related constituents (eg, magnesium, zinc, phosphorus, vitamin E, and lignans) it also contains high levels of alpha-linolenic acid— a fatty acid which appears to confer protection against heart disease, but which also has been associated with an increased risk of aggressive prostate cancer. However, can we responsibly attribute aggressive prostate cancer to flaxseed? This article briefly reviews why such a tact may be premature, and why flaxseed may have become the poster child for impulsive and overzealous interpretation of epidemiologic findings. Author's Abstract.