COX-2

Hi there, while digging for my natural alternative to Celebrex I came across that Omega 3's block COX-2 inhibitors so while I have been raving about the Flaxseed Oil Capsules they are one of them, and I didn't know it, so I guess it is thumbs up for me with the Flaxseed helping bump off the BC and I guessed the dose.

What Causes COX-2 to Get Out of Control?
The consumption of high amounts of saturated fat and the omega 6 unsaturated fatty acids, and a consumption of low amounts of omega 3 fatty acids can give rise to the production of COX-2 enzymes. In a state of ideal dietary balance, our Omega 6 to Omega 3 ratio would be 1:1, certainly no worse than 2:1. Unfortunately, because of our modern dietary indiscretions and the general unavailability of wholesome food, most Americans have an Omega 6 to Omega 3 ratio in the range of 10:1 to 20:1!
Simply put, by continually having an unbalanced fatty acid intake we are giving the COX-2 enzyme the raw material to create fire, but not the raw material to put out the fire. It's not that COX-2 enzymes are "bad" enzymes. To the contrary, we need them for life. It's just that our diets and the stresses we live in today create way too much COX-2 enzymes, and we don't use the resources to put out the fires.
Dietary Influence on COX-2 Production
Environmental Influence on COX-2 Production
Is COX-2 production present only in disease states?
No, as mentioned previously, COX-2 enzyme production occurs due to a myriad of factors and COX-2 production does not indicate that you are in a state of disease. The membranes of all cells in the body contain a fatty acid called arachadonic acid. As old cells die and new cells take their place, arachadonic acid is released into body tissues and blood. COX-1 and COX-2 enzymes act upon arachadonic acid to form molecules called prostaglandins.
Prostaglandins are compounds that are produced via the metabolism of fats in our diets. These compounds are simplistically categorized as either "good" or "bad." The good prostaglandins are beneficial and constructive to the body while the bad ones, if produced on a continual basis, can be destructive.
It is interesting to note that the consumption of high amounts of saturated fat and the omega 6 unsaturated fatty acids can give rise to the production of the bad prostaglandins, resulting in our recommendation to decrease animal fat intake and increase more of the unsaturated fats that come from fish into your diet. From a clinical perspective, one of the enzymes that are involved in the production of the destructive prostaglandins, called cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), is the target of nutritional intervention in order to suppress these substances. Hence, the introduction of dietary modifications that inhibit the COX-2 enzyme.
So, even though research is examining the role of excessive COX-2 enzyme production as a factor, healthy individuals can experience COX-2 enzyme production in amounts higher than normal, whether it is from diet, trauma or stress, or foreign invaders




Love & Hugs Lyn

[michele u]

Lyn,
I guess i don't understand. Flaxseed is a Omega 3? And then taking Omega's helps to prevent too much cox-2? I know that celebrex is a cox2,so Omega 3 will work like celebex then?

Dear Lyn,

I was reading a copy of a natural health magazine and came across "Zyflamend" as a natural COX 2 inhibitor. My father was able to google it and get some online. My mom is still on radiation tx so was afraid to combine that with other tx but you may want to try it. It is an extract of many plants and herbs and was shown to kill prostate cancer cell in one study. Hope that helps.

Anne

[StephN]

Dear Lyn -
That is a great article and I have printed it for my file.

My concern is over your statement:
"I came across that Omega 3's block COX-2 inhibitors "

Seems we would not want COX-2 INHIBITORS blocked - we would want these enhanced. I get out of the article that the Omega 3's need to balance out the Omega 6 to lessen the production of COX-2 enzymes, not to stamp that out altogether. Thus the need to bump up our intake of whatever will accomplish this.

Keep passing on the interesting articles, please.
And may NED be with you forever this time!

Hi there, that is how I see it, most definatley, I was taking Celebrex for the inflammatin of my fractured shoulder but I had to stop when I went into heart failure, so I was relying on Panadol, your tyenol, I got lymphoedema on Sunday for the first time ever since I started this in 1998. I thought if I got this it is inflammation why didn't the flaxseed prevent it. I had chemo yesterday and I had put on the sleeve, I had in the draw, got it when they couldn't detect anything with my fracture assuming lymphoedema, 3 months later a MRI showed a severe deteriorated shoulder from a fracture so not the big "L" well I have been naughty haven't I,so for the first time I used my bad arm as I call it, and as a result of all my tests and the only good veins were in my left arm, the week before I had a bone scan, CT and MRI all with contrast, a blood test and all seemed fine as that is where I have been having my weekly blood tests for the last 26 weeks but on Saturday I had a different girl and she actually hurt like she had gone sideways in the vein so I thought great I am now NED and have the big L to deal with. I had chemo yesterday and being the last for this cycle I thought bring out the big guns so I took all of my 4000mg of flaxseed before I went, so last night I was fiddling with my arm massaging it, I didnt have the glove part for my fingers so used other bandaging methods, let the warm shower pour on it for ages didn't put the garment on for bed, took another 1000mg of flaxseed got up this morning and just about back to normal, weird but I don't have any other explanation. My maintenance is going to be Herceptin/Aromasin and Flaxseed Oil capsules so I can only hope that this is the magic bullet. My hair like I said has been growing back for a few weeks now and I have finger nails, this is the 3rd time I lost my hair to chemo.

Love & Hugs Lyn