Flaxseed and Gout - a Uric Acid Update

Flaxseed and Gout – a Uric Acid Update

January 30, 2021

December 29, 2012

Since reporting about flax seeds for uric acid, I have read two more reports on the same subject.

Traditionally flaxseed oil supplements have been used as gout home remedies to help ease the painful swelling associated with a gout attack. There is a lot of research into anti-arthritic properties of all fatty acids. Though very little is gout specific, many visitors here rely on the flaxseed oil for gout page.

Though there are still no human trials for gout sufferers, the two latest reports do give a strong indication that flaxseed oil can lower uric acid. As with all gout home remedies, the true benefit has to be judged on a case-by-case basis. The only way to see if flaxseed oil will benefit you, is to measure uric acid and ensure it never rises above 5 mg/dL (0.30mmol/L).

The latest research cannot tell us that, but it does suggest that flaxseed oil can help gout sufferers.

Flax and Uric Acid Reports

In 2011, Pacheco and colleagues compare flaxseed to soybean oil and to no supplementation^[1]. After 180 days, uric acid in the flaxseed group was 34% less than no supplements, and 44% less than soybean oil.

Also in 2011, another report studied flaxseed and gout indirectly^[2]. High uric acid was induced by creating kidney disease using lead acetate. The rats that were fed flaxseed oil had significantly lower uric acid levels.

Flaxseed and Gout Next Steps

Though these reports are encouraging, we are still a long way from knowing how effective flax can be for gout sufferers.

We need human trials, and we need gout patients to be involved. More importantly we need to know whether crushed flaxseeds are better than flaxseed oil. We need to know what daily intake is likely to have the best benefit. We need to know if it is safe to use with other gout home remedies or with gout medications.

Food grade flaxseed oil, and crushed flaxseeds are widely available. If you have your own uric acid test kit, you could measure the effects yourself, but please discuss this with your doctor first.

Finally, know that flaxseed oil is often called linseed oil.

Leave Flaxseed and Gout – a Uric Acid Update to read Herbal Gout Control Plan for Organic Gout Recovery.

Common Terms: flax, Most Helpful Gout Pages