This $10 Product Could Help Prevent Breast Cancer

Incorporating flaxseed into your diet could prevent the development of breast cancer, a new study suggests.

Researchers have uncovered new evidence that suggests our gut health may play a bigger role in cancer prevention than previously believed. Published in Microbiology Spectrum, the new study found that incorporating flaxseed into the diet of female mice altered the expression of certain genes involved in breast cancer.

Including servings of flaxseed in a diet is a great way of improving digestion. Studies have shown that flaxseed can relieve constipation while also reducing bad cholesterol. That’s because flaxseed is rich in lignans, which are a group of fiber-associated compounds known to have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. Lignans can be found in many fruits, vegetables and seeds, but flaxseed is one of the greatest sources.

For the study, researchers explored how the introduction of lignans found in flaxseed affect the relationship between the microbes and bacteria living in the gut and the generation of microRNAs, which regulate the expression of genes in human cells, including those associated with breast cancer.

The team focused specifically on how flaxseed intake influenced the expression of mammary gland microRNAs. To do this, the team analyzed the microbiota and microRNAs of the first part of the colon, known as the cecum, after feeding the mice flaxseed. 

They discovered that a diet enriched in flaxseed altered the expression of genes involved in breast cancer development, modifying them to become non-cancer causing, the authors explained.

Although these findings need to be confirmed in human trials, the researchers said that their findings offer further evidence into how dietary interventions can be used as a preventative measure when it comes to different cancers.

“This preliminary study supports further research into the role that the microbiota plays in dietary approaches to reduce risk factors associated with disease,” study author Elena M. Comelli, Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of Nutritional Sciences at the University of Toronto in Canada, said in a news release. “If these findings are confirmed, the microbiota becomes a new target to prevent breast cancer through dietary intervention.”