Taking omega-3 supplements appears to ease hot flashes and depression-related symptoms in women going through menopause, according to a new Canadian study.

Researchers found that after eight weeks of taking one gram of EPA per day, subjects' psychological distress and mild depression-like symptoms decreased significantly.

The women taking EPA, an omega-3 fatty acid that comes from fish, also experienced 1.1 fewer hot flashes per day, compared to a 0.5 drop in a control group that did not take the supplement.

"The differences we observed between the two groups are noteworthy," lead study author Dr. Michel Lucas, of the University of Laval School of Medicine, said in a statement. "Especially considering that omega-3s have very few side effects and are beneficial to cardiovascular health."

The findings related to depression are published in the February edition of The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. The data on hot flashes was published in the Nov. 20 online edition of the journal Menopause.

According to previous research, between 30 and 70 per cent of women experience menopause symptoms, which include depression, night sweats and hot flashes, as a result of falling estrogen levels. The symptoms can last for up to 12 years.

Many women are looking for alternative therapies to alleviate symptoms in the wake of research that links standard hormone replacement treatments to a higher risk of heart problems and some cancers.

But a report published in the January issue of Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin found little or no evidence of the efficacy of a number of popular herbal remedies - including ginseng, evening primrose oil and sage leaf - in alleviating menopause symptoms.

However, a number of studies have found that omega-3 supplements can have a variety of health benefits.

A recent European study found that omega-3 supplements better protected patients against heart failure compared to traditional cholesterol-lowering drugs.

The researchers in that study said omega-3 may raise so-called good cholesterol levels, and possibly stabilize electrical systems within the heart, which can prevent abnormal heart rhythms.

Other studies have found that taking omega-3s can lower the risk of depression, dementia and diabetes.