Table 2.
The main characteristics of nine included studies evaluating the effect of n-3 PUFAs intake on vasomotor symptoms, sleep quality, and depression in postmenopausal women.
| Authors & Year | Study Design | Participants, No. | Intervention | Duration | Vasomotor Symptoms | Sleep Quality | Depression | Other Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| [40] | Triple-Blind Randomized Controlled Trial | Menopause women, n = 60 | Intervention group: 20 mg citalopram and 1 g of n-3 PUFAs per day Placebo group: 20 mg citalopram along with a placebo per day |
4 weeks | -------- | -------- | BDI-II (p < 0.001) |
------ |
| Intervention group, n = 30 Control group, n = 30 | ||||||||
| [41] | Double-blind placebo-controlled, RCT | Postmenopausal women, n = 188 | Intervention group: 1.8 g n-3 PUFAs per day Placebo group: 3 capsules per day containing olive oil |
12 weeks | -------- | PSQ-I (p = 0.0933) ISI (p = 0.729) |
------ | ------ |
| Intervention group, n = 95 Control group, n = 93 | ||||||||
| [28] | Double-Blind, Randomized Clinical Trial | Menopause women, n = 355 | Intervention group: 615 mg n-3 PUFAs (EPA = 425 mg, DHA = 100 mg) 3 capsules per day Placebo group: 3 capsules per day containing olive oil |
12 weeks | VMS frequency (p = 0.283) | PSQ-I (p = 0.0933) ISI (p = 0.729) |
PHQ-8 (p = 0.097) GAD-7 (p = 0.191) |
No Adverse Effect |
| Intervention group, n = 177; Placebo group, n = 178 | ||||||||
| [31] | Double-blind placebo-controlled, RCT | Menopause women, n = 120 | Intervention group: 500 mg n-3 PUFAs (EPA= 350 mg and DHA= 50 mg in ethyl esters form)/day Placebo group: 500 mg capsule containing sunflower oil per day 0.2% of regular fish oil (18% EPA/12% DHA) 3 times daily |
8 weeks | ------- | ----- | PGWB (p = 0.034) HSCL-D-20 (p = 0.040) HAM-D-21 (p = 0.030) |
------ |
| Intervention group, n = 59; Placebo group, n = 61 | ||||||||
| [27] | Double-blind placebo-controlled, RCT | Menopause women, n = 120 Intervention group, n = 59; Placebo group, n = 61 |
Intervention group: 500 mg n-3 PUFAs (EPA = 350 mg and DHA = 50 mg in ethyl esters form)/day Placebo group: 500 mg capsule containing sunflower oil per day 0.2% of regular fish oil (18% EPA/12% DHA) 3 times daily |
8 weeks | HF and night sweats Frequency (p = 0.005) and Intensity (p = 0.64) |
------ | ------- | MENQOL (p = 0.2) No Adverse Effect |
| [36] | Randomized control trial | Menopause women, n = 355; | Intervention group: n-3 PUFAs supplement contained 425 mg ethyl EPA, 100 mg DHA acid per day Placebo group: 90 mg placebo containing olive oil per day |
12 weeks | VMS frequency (p = 0.06) | PSQ-I (p = 0.0933) ISI (p = 0.729) PSS (p = 0.08) |
PHQ-8 (p = 0.097) GAD-7 (p = 0.191) |
MENQOL (p = 0.12) |
| Intervention group, n = 177; Placebo group, n = 178 | ||||||||
| [37] | Randomized, Prospective, Two-Arm Study | Menopause women, n = 76; | Intervention group: n-3 PUFAs (425 mg of n-3 PUFAs/capsule), 2 capsules per day Placebo group: Soybean isoflavones (54.4 mg of isoflavones/tablet), 2 tablets per day |
16 weeks | VMS Frequency and HF (p < 0.001) |
----- | ------ | No Adverse Effect |
|
n-3 PUFAs group, n = 40; Isoflavone group, n = 36 | ||||||||
| [38] | Double-blind, Placebo-Controlled, Randomized Clinical Trial | Menopause women, n = 180; | Intervention group: 1000 mg Omega-rex soft gel Soygan 500 mg capsule Placebo group: placebo |
3 months | MRS (p = 0.03) |
----- | ----- | No Adverse Effect |
| Soy group, n = 60; n-3 PUFAs group, n = 60; Placebo group, n = 60 | ||||||||
| [39] | Double-blind, randomized controlled clinical trial | Menopause women, n = 68; | Intervention group: 300 mg (contain EPA = 120 mg and DHA = 180 mg) per day Placebo group: Placebo containing paraffin |
8 weeks | HF frequency (p = 0.003) but no intensity (p = 0.2) | ----- | ------- | No Adverse Effect |
|
n-3 PUFAs group, n = 38; Control, n = 38 |
Abbreviations: PUFAs, Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids; BDI, Beck’s Depression Inventory; PSQI, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index; EPA, Eicosapentaenoic Acid; DHA, Docosahexaenoic acid; VMS, Vasomotor Symptoms; ISI, Insomnia Severity Index; PHQ-8, Physician’s Health Questionnaire depression domains; GAD-7, Generalized Anxiety Disorder questionnaire; PGWB, Psychological General Well-Being Schedule; HSCL-D-20, 20-item Hopkins Symptom Checklist Depression Scale; HAM-D- 21, 21-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale; HF, Hot flashes; MENQOL, Menopause-specific quality of life score; MRS, Menopause Rating Score.