Omega 3 EPA Fish Oil and Evening Primrose Oil PMS/Hot Flushes

Nearly 75% of all women being in the reproductive state, perceive bodily or psychic changes in the second half of the cycle (luteal phase) especially in the days before the beginning of menstruation. The research of these discomforts started in the thirties of the last century. Heavily pronounced PMS is referred to as premenstrual disphoric disturbance 2-5% of all women suffer from this disturbance.

PMS symptoms in clinical practise and public, PMS is not yet acknowledged as a disorder which needs treatment. The premenstrual syndrome represents various symptoms, being differentiated according to severity and number of symptoms. Typical psychic symptoms are excitability and tiredness, leading to difficulties in interpersonal communication. Also heavy episodes of depression that can be continuously reoccurring, life weary thoughts also a symptom. Actual studies showed that women with PMS symptoms have more linoleic acid in serum than women not suffering from PMS. This implicates a disturbance of fatty acid metabolism which can be regulated with doses of gamma-linolenic acid (evening primrose oil)

Menopausal hot flushes

Menopause is a normal biological process, not an estrogen deficiency state, occurring naturally at an average age of 50. A transitional period occurs prior to menopause. A diagnosis is often difficult during the premenopausal period because it can be made only after menses have ceased for at least 12 consecutive months. A hot flush is experienced as a warm or hot sensation that often begins at the top of the head and progresses towards the feet. The scalp face and neck are primarily affected, but an entire body sensation is sometimes experienced. Objective signs of cutaneous vasodilatation such as flushing and sweating are observed, followed by a drop in core body temperature, leaving some women feeling chilled after the event. Concomitant symptoms include cardiac palpations, anxiety, irritability and night sweats. Hot flushes may last from seconds to as long as an hour and may occur as often as hourly. Hot flushes can begin prior to the last menstrual period with nearly 60% of women reporting them before any menstrual changes were experienced. One of the other major complaints associated with hot flushes is insomnia which can have a domino effect on the women’s overall quality of life. Due to the unbalance of the FATTY ACID profile during menopause, this can lead to very dry skin due to the hormonal changes . Evening primrose oil shows a content of 66-77% of linoleic acid and 8-12% of gamma linolenic acid, both belonging to the omega 6 series, buy this integration concerning the fatty acid elongation, evening primrose plays as essential role in skin health.

References
Philip H (2003) altern med rev. 8. 284-302
Dickerson L et al (2003) premenstrual syndrome
Seibel M (2003) treating hot flushes without hormone replacement therapy
Girman A et al (2002) an integrative medicine approach to PM

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