Flax is a contentious issue among prostate cancer researchers. Dr. Dean Ornish on WebMed cites Dr. Charles “Snuffy” Myers’ view of flaxseed oil as virtual fuel for prostate cancer tumors. Recommending omega-3 fatty acids in fish, Ornish notes some “disturbing research published by Dr. Charles ‘Snuffy’ Myers at the University of Virginia Medical School in Charlottesville. He has evidence indicating that flax seed oil may promote the growth of prostate tumors. In someone with prostate cancer, I would avoid flax seed oil and instead take 2-3 grams per day of fish oil.”

Yet Wendy Demark-Wahnefried, Ph.D., a researcher in Duke’s School of Nursing, continues to turn up evidence that flaxseed — not flax oil — inhibits growth of prostate cancer.