Breast tenderness or pain is usually an uncomfortable but harmless sign of hormonal changes due to your menstrual cycle, menopause or pregnancy. Consumption of flaxseed oil capsules or crushed flaxseed may help alleviate this common symptom. Ask your doctor or gynecologist whether a flaxseed oil supplement might be a good choice for you.
Breast Tenderness
Breast pain and swelling is normal for many women around ovulation, menstruation, menopause or pregnancy. It can also be caused by medications like digitalis, diuretics and chlorpromazine. It is usually mild and goes away on its own, but anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen or acetaminophen and ice packs may help relieve the pain. Breast pain is not a common symptom of breast cancer. However, in rare cases it may indicate a more serious problem. If you notice unusual nipple discharge, a lump, redness, fever or a blistering rash, contact your doctor.
Flaxseed Oil
Available in liquid or capsule form, flaxseed oil comes from the pressed seeds of the flax plant. It is rich in alpha-linolenic acid, or ALA, an omega-3 fatty acid similar to docosahexaenoic acid, or DHA, and eicosapentaenoic acid, or EPA. Flaxseed contains lignans, plant-based compounds that mimic the effects of estrogen in the body, but the lignans are found in the hull of the seed, not its oil. The oil has been studied as a treatment for ADHD, arthritis, heart disease, high cholesterol, breast cancer, prostate cancer and other conditions, although scientific evidence is still inconclusive on these uses. Flaxseed oil is also used as a laxative and to soothe dry and irritated skin.
Evidence
The Mayo Clinic reports that early evidence from an ongoing study shows that consumption of flaxseed may help reduce menstrual breast pain. However, this study refers to whole or crushed flaxseed, not just the oil, and the lignans in the hull are thought to affect the hormones that cause breast tenderness. The Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Canada also recommends using crushed flaxseed to treat cyclic breast pain. Holistic physician Christiane Northrop believes that increasing your overall omega-3 essential fatty acid intake helps prevent breast tenderness, and includes flaxseed oil as a good source of this important nutrient if you prefer a supplement in capsule or liquid form to the seeds.
Dosage
The University of Maryland Medical Center recommends an adult dose of 1 to 2 tbsp. or capsules of flaxseed oil daily. You may also obtain flaxseed oil along with the fiber and lignans of the flaxseed hull by grinding and eating whole flaxseeds, or drinking them in water, but you must use them within 24 hours of grinding to ensure their potency. Take 1 to 2 tbsp. ground flaxseed 2 to 3 times daily. As an overall omega-3 supplement, Christiane Northrup recommends 2 to 3 tbsp. flaxseed oil, or 2 to 3 capsules, 3 to 4 times a week, along with other dietary sources of omega-3s like salmon or fish oil.
References
- National Institutes for Health: MedlinePlus: Flaxseed Oil
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Flaxseed
- National Institutes for Health: MedlinePlus: Breast Pain
- Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Canada: Breast Pain
- Christinane Northrup, MD; Relief for Common Breast Symptoms; Christiane Northrup
- MayoClinic.com: Flaxseed and Flaxseed Oil
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