Does Flaxseed Oil Cause Side Effects?
When taken at reasonable doses,
flaxseed oil is unlikely to cause side effects. For most people, any side effects that occur are usually merely bothersome. However,
flaxseed oil can theoretically cause serious side effects as well, especially at very high intakes.
Bothersome Side Effects of Flaxseed Oil
If you take more than 30 grams of flaxseed oil (about two tablespoonfuls a day), you might experience
diarrhea or loose stools.
Flaxseed oil is obtained from flaxseed but does not cause all of the bothersome
flaxseed side effects. Flaxseeds (which have a high fiber content) often cause gas and bloating. Flaxseed oil (which does not contain fiber) is not likely to cause such side effects.
Serious Flaxseed Oil Side Effects
There are a few side effects with flaxseed oil that you should report to your healthcare provider and which may indicate that you should stop taking flaxseed oil.
These include, but are not limited to:
- Any signs of bleeding (which may theoretically occur with high doses of flaxseed oil), such as:
- Easy bruising or cuts that do not stop bleeding
- Black, tarry stools; bright-red blood in the stool; or vomiting of blood (signs of gastrointestinal bleeding)
- Signs of a hemorrhagic stroke (bleeding in the brain), such as vision or speech changes, weakness or numbness in an arm or leg, or a severe headache
- Signs of an allergic reaction, including an unexplained rash, hives, itching, unexplained swelling, wheezing, or difficulty breathing or swallowing.
Flaxseed oil contains alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), and research suggests that diets high in ALA from meat and dairy may increase the risk of
prostate cancer. However, this does not seem to apply to plant-based ALA, such as that found in flaxseed oil.
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