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Background: Primary dysmenorrheal is one of the most common gynecologic diseases. This study was carried out to compare the effects of omega-3 and vitamin E on the treatment of primary dysmenorrheal. Materials and Methods: In a randomized double-blind clinical trial, 80 female students from high schools in Arak, Iran, were selected by simple sampling and randomly divided into two identical groups in 2010. Omega-3 group received one omega-3 capsule (500 mg) per day while the vitamin E group received one vitamin E capsule (400IU) every other day for 60 days. Intensity of pain, duration of pain, and the number of painkillers taken before and after intervention were measured in both groups. Intensity of pain was assessed by VAS scale of pain. Data were analyzed by SPSS software. Results: After intervention, the mean of pain intensity in the omega-3 group decreased to 3.5 which indicated a significant difference in comparison with the corresponding values before intervention (7.40) (p<0.05) and the values in the vitamin E group (5.25) (p<0.05). After intervention, the mean duration of pain in the omega-3 group reached 11.04 hours which showed a significant difference compared with the corresponding values before intervention (31.74) (p<0.05) and the values in the vitamin E group (34.81) (p<0.05). Conclusion: Omega-3 is more effective than vitamin E in the treatment of primary dysmenorrheal and its application as a new therapeutic method to the treatment of primary dysmenorrheal requires further studies.

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Background: Measurement of mean arterial blood pressure is better predictive factor for pregnancy-induced hypertension than measurement of the systolic and diastolic blood pressure or systolic blood pressure. According to the theory of “protective effect of fish oil supplementation on pregnancy-induced hypertension “and the importance of blood pressure control in pregnancy, the present study was conducted to investigate the effect of fish oil supplementation in pregnancy on mean arterial blood pressure. Materials and Methods: In this clinical trial study, 120 healthy pregnant women were randomly divided into two groups of 60 persons. Same prenatal care was performed for both groups and the intervention group was received Salmon fish oil capsule 1000 mg/day, from 16th week to the end of the pregnancy. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure were measured in both groups once every four weeks up to 28th week, every 2 weeks from 28th till 36th week and once every week up to the end of pregnancy. Mean arterial blood pressure was calculated and all gathering data was analyzed with T test and Mann-Whitney test. Results: Mean arterial blood pressure in the intervention and control group was 80.76±5.50 and 78.46±4.50 mmHg which was not significantly different (p>0.05). Conclusion: The results showed that adding fish oil supplements to the diet of pregnant mothers had no significant effect on mean arterial blood pressure.

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Background: Depression is one of the most commonly observed problems in menopausal women. This study was conducted to determine the effect of omega-3 fatty acids on menopausal depression in women referring to No. 1 Health Clinic of Ahvaz, Iran, in 2010.

Materials and Methods: This randomized double-blind clinical trial was done on 70 menopausal women experiencing various levels of depression. After administering the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D-21), the participants who met the inclusion criteria were randomly divided into intervention group (n=35) receiving a 2gr omega-3 capsules and control group (n=35) receiving 2 gr placebo capsules. After 8 weeks of intervention, data were collected and analyzed by Chi-square, independent t-test, and one-way ANOVA with repeated measures using SPSS software version 17.

Results: Mean depression scores decreased significantly (p<0.001) in the intervention group (13.36±2.23 to 8.72±3.71). Also, mean depression scores decreased (p>0.05) in the control group (13.25±2.04 to 11.78±2.93) however, it was not significant. The comparison of depression scores did not indicate a significant difference regarding the reduction of depression after intervention between the two groups (p=0.08).

Conclusion: According to the findings of this study, administration of omega-3 capsules (2gr/daily) for 8 weeks decreased menopausal depression. However, there was not a significant difference between omga-3 and placebo groups in this study. For a more precise observation of the effects, further studies with longer periods of intervention are needed.

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Background: Acne vulgaris, is a chronic inflammatory disease of the pilosebaceous units. Genetic, environmental factors and nutrition influence on this disease. Recent studies indicate an essential role of nutrition in the development of acne, particularly with the effect on oxidative stress and inflammatory processes. Many studies have reported lower incidence of acne in individuals who receive diets containing large amounts of omega-3. The aim of this study was to determine the probable therapeutic effects of omega-3 for the treatment of acne.

Materials and Methods: In this study, 60 patients with moderate to severe facial acne were randomly divided into two treatment groups: 1) 100 mg doxycycline daily and one placebo capsule Omega -3 2) doxycycline 100 mg daily and one capsule 1000 mg Omega -3. Acne severity was determined based on GAGS system at the beginning of treatment and at the end of the sixth and twelfth weeks of treatment, with photographs obtained from each patient.

Results: There was a significant reduction in acne severity score (GAGS) at the end of sixth and twelfth weeks in the Omega-3 group in comparison to control group that received placebo.

Conclusion: Omega-3 fatty acids can improve moderate to severe inflammatory acne, probably due to their anti-inflammatory properties.

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