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According to a new study, flaxseed oil may improve skin properties related to skin sensitivity. Flaxseed oil contains over 70 percent polyunsaturated fatty acids, particularly the essential fatty acid alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), which is a biologic precursor to omega-3 fatty acids such as eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Previous research suggests that these polyunsaturated fatty acids modulate skin properties. In this new randomized, double-blind study, healthy women with sensitive skin were supplemented with equivalent amounts of either flaxseed oil or safflower seed oil daily for 12 weeks. The women were evaluated for plasma fatty acid profiles, skin sensitivity, skin hydration, transepidermal (through the skin) water loss, and texture of the skin surface at the beginning of the study and again after 6 and 12 weeks of supplementation. Skin sensitivity was evaluated using nicotinate to irritate the skin.
The results of the study showed that in the women supplemented with flaxseed oil, there was a significant decrease in skin sensitivity, transepidermal water loss, and skin roughness and scaling, with a significant increase in skin smoothness and hydration. The women who received safflower seed oil showed an improvement in skin roughness and hydration, but the changes took longer to appear and were less pronounced compared to the flaxseed oil group. In addition, the group receiving flaxseed oil showed a healthier fatty acid profile, with an increase in the plasma omega-3-to-omega-6 ratio. The women who received the safflower seed oil had an opposite response; that is, an increase in the plasma omega-6-to-omega-3 ratio. The researchers stated, “The data provide evidence that daily intake of flaxseed oil modulates skin condition.”
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