Omega-3 Fats Improve Mental Well-Being in Menopause

Women who are in the throes of menopause can experience a range of debilitating symptoms, which can be psychological (for example, anxiety or depression) or physical (hot flushes and night sweats). Conventional medical treatment for menopause is centered on hormone replacement therapy (HRT).

However, concerns about the safety of HRT (for instance, it’s linked with an increased risk of breast cancer) and some doubts about how effective it is for quelling menopausal symptoms have led many women to seek alternatives.

One popular brand of natural medicine that offers something for menopausal women is herbal medicine. Quite a few herbs are recommended for menopausal symptoms, including black cohosh and St. John’s wort. There is evidence that supports the use of St. John’s wort as an antidepressant, and black cohosh has been shown to successfully treat menopausal symptoms.

One other treatment strategy that may have some merit in the treatment of menopause involves the omega-3 fats such as eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) found in oily fish. Omega-3 fats do seem to have some ability to reduce the risk of cardiovascular conditions such as heart disease and stroke, the risk of which is generally higher after the menopause. Omega-3 fats also seem to have the power to protect against depression and may even assist in the treatment of this condition.

In a study published in the most recent edition of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 120 menopausal women suffering from “psychological distress” were treated with omega-3 fats or placebo (sunflower oil) for 8 weeks [1]. The women taking omega-3 fats were given 1.05 g of EPA and 0.15 g of DHA per day.

Some of the women in this study suffered from depression severe enough to be diagnosed with a “major depressive episode.” Compared to placebo, individuals in this group were not significantly helped by taking omega-3 fats after eight weeks of treatment.

However, when the results from the rest of the women were analyzed, omega-3 treatment was associated with significant improvements in psychological well-being and reduced symptoms of depression. These results suggest that omega-3 supplementation may be beneficial for improving the psychological well-being of menopausal women.

Reference:

1. Lucas M, et al. Ethyl-eicosapentaenoic acid for the treatment of psychological distress and depressive symptoms in middle-aged women: a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trial. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2009; 89: 641–651

Dr. John Briffa is a London-based physician and health writer with an interest in nutrition and natural medicine. His Web site is drbriffa.com

Last Updated
Feb 8, 2009