Effect of fish oil on treatment of premenstrual syndrome

Objective: Women go through many hormonal changes throughout their lives from birth to death and this causes many physical and mental challenges that are directly related to their unique reproduction delicacy. Premenstrual syndrome refers to a cyclic appearance of somatic and psychiatric symptoms in some women. Different theories and hypotheses have been proposed and discussed on this issue. Finding an effective and safe solution for the treatment of PMS has always been under consideration. The purpose of our study was to determine the effect of fish oil on treatment of premenstrual syndrome.

Methods: This study was a double blind randomized placebo controlled trial. All of the medical students at the Medicine School of Mazandaran filled in the Rosignol Bonlender Questionnaire for 3 months. This questionnaire included demographic information, inclusion and exclusion criteria, check paper and the symptom list of Rosignol Bolender. A total of 200 girls suffering from the moderate and severe forms of this syndrome were selected randomly and assigned in two groups. The first group (100 girls) took a 1000 mg /day capsule of fish oil for all days of their cycle and the second group (100 girls) took placebo for all days of their cycle. The duration of this treatment was 3 months. After treatment, the severity of physical, mental, and combined physical-mental symptoms were compared before and after the intervention. Also the comparison after intervention was done in two groups.

Results: Based on this and based on the independent sample test, these two groups were homogeneous from the point of view of age (p = 0.287, based on independent sample test ), education level (p = 0.954, based on x2 tests), length of menstrual cycle (p = 0.305), based on independent sample test ), severity of physical symptoms before intervention ( p = 0.039 ), severity of mental symptoms before intervention (p = 0.144), severity of combined physical-mental symptoms before intervention (p = 0.242) in the first group. There was a significant difference among the severity of physical (p= 0.000), mental (p= 0.000), combined physical-mental symptoms (p= 0.000) before and after intervention. The reduction in severity of physical, mental, and combined physical-mental symptoms after intervention was significant between the two groups (p= 0.000).

Conclusion: Based on our results 1000mg/day fish oil may reduce the severity of physical, mental, and combined physical-mental symptoms of PMS.