I think most people have heard of Omega-3 oils.  They are present in food and supplements and are highly beneficial to building and maintaining optimal health. They can be an energy source for cells in our bodies and help keep the heart, lungs, blood vessels, and immune system working at top notch.  For people who are at medium to high risk for heart disease can lower their blood cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes when they add foods that are rich in omega-3 fatty acids as part of their diets.

But I want to look at how these oils can help someone beat back pain and manage the symptoms of scoliosis. 

What are Omega-3s exactly?

What we call Omega-3s are actually a combination of EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid).  These are long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (O-3s) which are abundant in fish, shellfish, some algae, and plant sources such as nuts and seeds. The body needs EPA & DHA omega-3s to develop and function optimally in every stage of life.

Benefits of Omega-3s during menopause

Both the Journal of Affective disorders (2021) and a systemic review of several European studies published by MDPI have shown the potential role of omega-3 fatty acids in the prevention and treatment of emotional disorders and cognitive disorders that come with age.

Women going through menopause experience many physical and mental-emotional changes and are at a higher risk of various chronic diseases and health complaints, including memory problems, cognitive decline, and “brain fog”. They can also experience emotional disorders such as anxiety and depression.  This is also the time when the angle of a scoliotic spine tends to increase. 

Omega-3s and Anxiety

The review included 3 animal studies and one human study that evaluated the effects of omega-3s on anxiety during menopause. The first study showed that fish oil supplementation did have an anti-anxiety effect. The second showed fish oils helped to maintain inflammatory balance along with antidepressant and neuroprotective activities and neuroimmune-modulating actions. While the last study did not find that omega-3 supplementation improved anxiety symptoms over placebo for women during menopause, another meta-analysis using findings from 19 different studies among the general population found that clinical anxiety symptoms were more likely to improve among those who took omega-3 supplements compared to those taking a placebo. The most significant effect was seen for those taking at least 2,000 mg per day of omega-3 fatty acids, and whose omega-3 fatty acid intake was at least 60% EPA.

Omega-3s and Depression

Five animal studies and 9 human studies were included in the review to look at the effect of omega-3 fatty acids on depression during menopause. The animal studies found that supplementation improved several biochemical markers correlating to depression and that daily supplementation produced neuroprotective effects.

Several of the human studies demonstrated that omega-3 supplementation was related to less psychological distress, decreased depressive symptoms, and resulted in significant improvements in depression scores. In one study, that measured omega-3 levels in the body, a significant negative correlation was found, where less depressive symptoms were seen with higher omega-3 levels, however, there were mixed results when looking at all studies combined.  

A separate analysis supports previous findings that omega-3s may be important for treating depression among the general population and found that higher omega-3 levels in the blood were significantly associated with a lower risk of moderately severe to severe depression, especially for those with higher EPA. Depression has been linked to a decrease in pain tolerance.  Or put another way, if you are depressed or show symptoms of depression your perception of pain can be increased.  I see this a lot with people who have back pain and/or scoliosis. The pain itself can cause depression leading to a vicious circle of increased pain,  increased depression, and decreased activity. 

Omega-3s and Cognition

The review also included one animal study and 2 human studies that evaluated cognition during menopause. Positive effects on the brain were observed in the animal studies with omega-3 (specifically DHA) administration. One human study showed improvement in verbal memory and decreased psychomotor response among women taking omega-3 supplements, while the other did not find a significant correlation. A separate study assessing the association between Omega-3 Index, a biomarker of EPA and DHA status, and cognitive decline among older adults, in general, found that those with the highest Omega-3 Index levels (greater than 6.8%) had a 44% lower risk of cognitive impairment compared to participants with the lowest Omega-3 Index levels (less than 5.7%)

So, what does this all mean for you?

Supplementing or getting more omega-3s into your diet can decrease inflammation, decrease symptoms of depression, increase cognition and reduce anxiety. This is particularly noticeable during menopause which is a time when a woman’s body loses some of the protective effects of estrogen. It is also a time when scoliosis is known to increase and a common time for back pain. If you want to take a whole body, mind body spirit approach to beat your pain and manage your symptoms, I recommend increasing omega-3s in your diet.

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