Effects of a flaxseed-derived lignan supplement in type 2 diabetic patients: a randomized, double-blind, cross-over trial.

What Was Tested

The paper reports a study of Lignans, published as a randomized controlled trial.

The study aimed to investigate the effect of a flaxseed-derived lignan supplement on glycemic control, lipid profiles and insulin sensitivity in type 2 diabetic patients.

Who Took Part

The abstract describes 2 patients taking part.

PubMed indexes the participants as middle-aged adults and older adults, both men and women.

How the Study Was Run

The design is described as randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled and crossover.

The patients were allocated by chance, so the Lignans group and the comparison group should start out alike.

Blinding on both sides kept the patients and researchers unaware of who received Lignans.

Some patients received a placebo instead of Lignans, giving a reference point.

In the crossover set-up each of the patients took both Lignans and the comparison in turn, acting as their own control.

What Was Measured

The subject headings attached to it are Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2, Flax and Lignans.

What This Means in Plain Language

The paper is a randomized, double-blind and placebo-controlled study of Lignans in 2 patients.

With fewer than 40 people, it is a small study, so it is better read as an early signal for further research than as a settled answer.

The abstract goes on to report its results in about 10 sentences; this page does not restate them, so read the paper for the findings and their limits.

The publication is from 2007 (PloS one), a journal based in United States.

More context: all human trials.