Menstrual Cramps: Omega-3 Helps Reduce Discomfort
Menstruation: less pain with Omega 3 supplements
Menstrual pain can be reduced through daily intake of Omega 3. This emerges from research published in the International Journal of Gynaecology and Obstetrics. According to the study authors, the benefits associated with these fatty acids allow for a reduction in the use of drugs as remedies for menstrual pain. Omega-3s have proven especially effective in cases of primary dysmenorrhea, i.e., when the pain is not caused by a reproductive organ pathology.
Women’s health: the role of Omega-3
Omega-3 fatty acids are valuable allies for female well-being at all life stages: they protect against osteoporosis and cardiovascular diseases, reduce depression, and improve pregnancy quality. These nutrients are an effective remedy against premenstrual syndrome symptoms and menstrual cramps. This effect is based on the fact that Omega-3s are precursors of molecules that reduce pain due to their vasodilatory and anti-inflammatory effects. Several studies have shown that increasing Omega-3 intake, through diet or supplements, corresponds to a decrease in dysmenorrhea symptoms.
Omega-3 for menstrual pain: confirmed benefits
Researchers from the University of Medical Sciences in Semnan (Iran) have added new details to the known benefits of Omega-3s for treating menstrual pain. Their study involved 95 women aged 18 to 25, all affected by primary dysmenorrhea. Forty-seven participants took one Omega-3 capsule daily for 3 months. For the next 3 months, they received a placebo. The remaining 48 women first took a placebo for 3 months, then one Omega-3 capsule daily for another 3 months. All participants were instructed to take 400 milligrams of ibuprofen, a well-known painkiller, if severe pain persisted. The effectiveness of Omega-3 treatment was evaluated based on the number of ibuprofen tablets taken by the women.
Final results
Both groups showed a reduction in pain intensity at the end of the 3-month treatment. Moreover, women taking Omega-3 needed less ibuprofen compared to those on placebo. Specifically, after 3 months of treatment, the first group took about 4 ibuprofen tablets daily, versus 5 tablets after 3 months of placebo. Women in the second group used an average of about 3 tablets after 3 months of Omega-3 intake, and about 6 after 3 months on placebo.
Source
1. Rahbar N, Asgharzadeh N, Ghorbani R, “Effect of omega-3 fatty acids on intensity of primary dysmenorrhea”, Int J Gynaecol Obstet. 2012 Jan 17. [Epub ahead of print]
