Flaxseed is being used in a clinical trial in Canada to treat peripheral artery disease.

This is a disease where blood circulation to the arms and legs has been slowed down by fatty arterial deposits there.

A total of 2.7 million people suffer with the condition in the UK, which affects mainly the over 55s. It is a problem because there may be no symptoms until there is a heart attack.

The study will be conducted over two years.

On the face of it, I would have expected that fish oil would be more effective than flax seed oil for this condition. Though flax seed oil contain ALA (alpha-linolenic acid) which can be converted into beneficial EPA and DHA, fish oil contains the DHA and EPA already converted.