I'm sure there's been discussion of flax lignans before, but who cares.
Do flax lignans reduce hair loss from male pattern baldness?
The bioavailability of flax lignans from flax seeds and supplements
Do flax lignans reduce hair loss from male pattern baldness?
According to an unpublished study, 9 out of 10 men suffering from hair loss saw an improvement in their condition after taking a flax lignan supplement with 50 mg of lignans. Another study reported improvements in BPH symptoms from consuming 300-600 mg of SDG, the main flax lignan.
The mechanism through which flax lignans might work is not known, but a possible explanation is that SDG (a phytoestrogen) inhibits 5-alpha-reductase or androgen receptor binding.
The bioavailability of flax lignans from flax seeds and supplements
Consuming 40-610 mg of SDG, the main flax lignan, raises serum enterolactone and enterodiol levels significantly, which indicates that flax lignans are absorbed by the human body. Lignans are bioavailable both in supplement and natural form.
While the taste of flax seeds may be unpleasant to some people, a tablespoon of flax meal (ground flax seeds) actually contains more SDG than most supplements. The lignans in crushed and whole flax seeds are absorbed less effectively, however.