An article in Nutra Ingredients reports the results of research by a team based at the National Research Centre in Cairo.  The study suggests that flaxseed oil has a beneficial effect on bone mineral density and reduces markers associated with osteoporosis, indicating that this dietary supplement could be beneficial to women with diabetes or older women in reducing their risk of osteoporosis. Women are four times more likely to develop osteoporosis than men, and the authors of this study explained that previous research indicates that diabetes decreases bone turnover that is associated with impaired osteoblastic maturation and function.

The researchers studied 70 female albino rats of which 30 had their ovaries (ovx) removed to simulate the post-menopausal state whereby estrogen is decreased, and another group of rodents was rendered diabetic (type 1) in order to determine the impact of diabetes on the development of osteoporosis.The rats were divided into groups, some receiving flaxseed oil in thier diet and the others corn oil.  After two months the researchers found that the serum concentrations of IGF-1 and osteocalcin were increased in the ovx and diabetic ovx groups, but their lowest levels were detected in the diabetic group.  And the team said that bone mineral density and content in the diabetic group were reduced and normalised after receiving flaxseed oil.

The study was published in the International Journal of Food Safety, Nutrition and Public Health.