| Effect | None |
| Values | PSST insomnia score, mean + SD. Placebo: before 2.69, after 2.53. Fish oil: before 2.71, after 1.32. |
| Trial Design | Randomized trial |
| Trial Length | 1-6 months |
| Number of Subjects | 95 |
| Sex | Female |
| Age Range | 18-29, 30-44 |
In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, 95 women with premenstrual syndrome were allocated to take 2 g of fish oil yielding 360 mg of EPA and 240 mg of DHA daily or placebo from 8 days before and to 2 days after menstruation for 3 consecutive cycles.
On the modified version of the premenstrual symptoms screening tool (PSST), the only areas where the fish oil group saw notably greater improvement than the placebo group were for insomnia and hypersomnia, the rest being trivially different. Interestingly, in general, both groups saw consistent improvements with each menstrual cycle, compared to the previous. On the SF-12, there was a similar improvement in mental symptoms in both groups and no real difference in physical symptoms.
