Omega-3 And Exercise For Increased Women’s Health

Menopause is a time in a woman’s life when there is a sharp decrease in estrogen which slows, and eventually stops, menstruation.

During menopause, the women’s ovaries stop producing eggs, plus it reduces the production of estrogen and progesterone.

This happens to most women between the ages of 45 and 55.  When a woman has not had a period in a year or more, they are considered to be post-menopausal.

Common symptoms associated with menopause are hot flashes, heart pounding or racing, night sweats, and problems sleeping.

Also, the reduced production of estrogen could cause menopausal-related osteoporosis.

However, a study published in the Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism, shows that omega-3 fatty acids, in combination with long-term aerobic exercise, could slow bone loss due to menopause.

Let me explain…

Omega-3 and Exercise

Many different research studies have shown that omega-3 fatty acids, in combination with exercise, could increase bone mass, therefore slowing bone mineral density loss common in post-menopausal women.

Researchers aimed to verify previous findings that omega-3 fatty acid supplementation could reduce inflammatory markers plus improve bone mineral density in women suffering from menopause.

They recruited 79 women between the ages of 52 and 78, who were healthy and in post-menopause state.

They were randomly assigned to one of four groups.  Those groups included: exercise plus omega-3 supplementation (21), exercise alone (20), supplement alone (20), and a control group (18).

The exercise and exercise plus supplementation group performed aerobic exercise (walking and jogging), three days/week and at an intensity of 65% of their maximum heart rate for 24 weeks.

Both supplement groups received a 1000 mg dose of omega-3 fatty acid for the same time period.

They were tested at baseline, 12 and 24 weeks for changes in bone mineral density of the lower spine and femoral neck area.  Also, the researchers took serum blood levels of inflammatory markers which included: TNF-alpha, IL-6, PGE2, estrogen, osteocalcin, vitamin D, parathyroid hormone, c-telopeptide, and calcitonin.

The results showed that omega-3 fatty acid supplementation plus exercise increased estrogen, osteocalcin, vitamin D levels, and bone mineral density of the lumbar spine and femoral neck region.

Comparatively, they noted no change in the exercise or supplementation groups alone.

Also, the researchers noticed that omega-3 supplementation plus exercise group showed a decrease in inflammatory markers, but not in the exercise or supplementation groups alone.

It was also pointed out that bone mineral density, estrogen, osteocalcin levels, and calcitonin levels were negatively associated with increased inflammatory markers.

The researchers concluded that omega-3 fatty acid supplementation, in combination with long-term aerobic exercise, has a synergistic effect on reducing inflammatory markers, which could reverse the post-menopausal osteoporosis effect often seen, due to decreased estrogen levels associated with menopause.

Exercise and Menopause

There are many different ways to control the symptoms associated with menopause.

It is recommended to exercise, increase vitamin D levels, and do deep breathing exercises.

Exercise, however, is recommended to reverse the post-menopause decrease in bone mineral density which may be related to lower estrogen levels.

Now exercise, in combination with omega-3 fatty acid supplementation, has been shown to increase bone mineral density, estrogen levels, and reduce inflammatory markers that could negatively impact different areas of health.

Including more omega-3 fatty acids in your diet could also, according to research, reduce depression symptoms, improve cognitive function, and improve other aspects of health associated with aging and menopause.

NEXT: Learn More About Powerful Omega-3 Fatty Acids >>





Reference:

Tartibian, B.  Malaki, BH.  Kanaley, J.  Sadeghi, K.  Long-term aerobic exercise and omega-3 supplementation modulate osteoporosis through inflammatory mechanisms in post-menopausal women: a randomized, repeated measures study.  Nutrition & Metabolism. 2011.  Vol. 8(71).  doi: 10.1186/1743-7075-8-71.