--- title: Does omega-3 fish oil help with premenstrual symptoms? | Niyora description: Possibly. Most premenstrual symptoms improved significantly, and women in the omega-3 group showed improvement in quality of life, though the placebo group al url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/the-effect-of-omega-3-fatty-acid-supplementation-on-premenstrual-syndrome-and-2018/ --- - [Niyora](https://niyora.com/) - [Research](https://niyora.com/research/) - [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/) - Does omega-3 fish oil help with premenstrual symptoms? Randomised trial, 2018 # Does omega-3 fish oil help with premenstrual symptoms? Possibly. Most premenstrual symptoms improved significantly, and women in the omega-3 group showed improvement in quality of life, though the placebo group also improved. Moderate study design 95 Iranian women aged 20-35 with premenstrual symptoms ## What they did 95 Iranian women aged 20-35 with premenstrual symptoms were randomly assigned to take either 1 gram of omega-3 fish oil daily or placebo. They recorded their symptoms and completed quality of life surveys. ## What they found Most premenstrual symptoms and their interference with daily life were significantly reduced over the follow-up period. The longer use of omega-3 supplement was associated with improvement of premenstrual symptoms and activities. Both the omega-3 and placebo groups showed significant improvement in physical and mental components of quality of life. Some symptoms, including overeating in the omega-3 group and insomnia in the placebo group, showed no difference between groups. ## What it means for you Omega-3 may help some premenstrual symptoms and improve quality of life. However, both treatment and placebo groups improved significantly in many areas, making it unclear how much benefit comes specifically from the supplement rather than other factors. The study did not specify exactly how long women took the supplement or provide exact numbers for symptom improvements. 95 Women in study 1 Gram of fish oil daily 20-35 Age range of participants ## About the study Original title The effect of omega 3 fatty acid supplementation on premenstrual syndrome and health-related quality of life: a randomized clinical trial Authors Behboudi-Gandevani S, Hariri FZ, Moghaddam-Banaem L Journal Journal of psychosomatic obstetrics and gynaecology Year 2018 Study design Randomised trial Participants 95 What was tested Omega-3 supplement containing 1 gram fish oil daily Read the paper [doi.org/10.1080/0167482x.2017.1348496](https://doi.org/10.1080/0167482x.2017.1348496) ## Topics [Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Omega-3 fatty acids](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-omega-3/)[Work and productivity](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-work/)[Quality of life and daily functioning](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-quality-of-life/) Research tells you what helps on average. Niyora helps on the day it hits. Calm down, see it another way, and decide what to say, with a PMS and PMDD app built by a doctor. ## Related studies Survey study, 2024 How do hormonal changes during the menstrual cycle affect gut health and mood? Cohort study, 2026 Is PMS becoming more common and more disabling worldwide? Systematic review, 2026 Do mindfulness and relaxation techniques help with PMS symptoms? Systematic review, 2025 Do nutritional interventions help with emotional symptoms of PMS? Systematic review, 2025 Does digital healthcare help manage period pain and PMS? Cohort study, 2025 Do women with premenstrual disorders take more sick leave and have higher unemployment? Ask AI about this page Copy prompt ChatGPT ↗ Claude ↗ Perplexity ↗ Google AI Mode ↗ Grok ↗