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.