Omega-3s May Reduce Menopause-related Distress, Depression & Hot Flashes
Here’s some great news for women going through menopause! A recent study, published earlier this year in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, presents the first evidence that fish oil supplements are effective for treating common menopause-related mental health problems.
The researchers conducting the double-blind trial recruited 120 women ages 40 to 55 and divided them into two groups. Over 8 weeks, women in the first group took 1 gram of EPA and .15 grams of DHA a day (EPA and DHA are the two omega-3s in fish oil). In the second group, the women were given a placebo of 1g of sunflower oil, which contains no EPA or DHA.
Test results before and after the eight week period showed that omega-3 significantly improved the condition of women suffering psychological distress and mild depressive symptoms. Women with hot flashes also noted that their condition improved after consuming omega-3s.
These results are a pretty big deal, given that the omega-3-induced decrease in hot flashes is equivalent to results obtained with hormone therapy and antidepressants — both of which work for some women but are somewhat controversial in terms of effectiveness and side effects.
Considering that omega-3s have very few side effects and are beneficial to cardiovascular health, there are certainly myriad benefits for women, especially those entering the “third age,” to reap by taking a high-quality fish oil supplement!
(**Important note — no positive effect was observed among a small group of women with more severe depressive symptoms. Any woman experiencing symptoms of depression should talk to her healthcare provider or a licensed mental health professional. Antidepressants are often essential, at least temporarily, for women with clinical depression or mood disorders.)
Tags: depression, hot flashes, Menopause, omega-3, Perimenopause, subclinical depression
