One small study compared flaxseed to hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in menopausal women. It reported that 40 g of flaxseed worked as well as HRT for mild menopausal symptoms (hot flashes, mood disturbances, and vaginal dryness). But the study was not well designed, and another, larger study found that flaxseed did not improve symptoms like hot flashes, nor did it protect against bone loss.