An open label pilot study to evaluate the effectiveness of a proprietary krill oil formulation in the relief of troublesome symptoms of the menopause

ISRCTN ISRCTN16288792
DOI https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN16288792
Secondary identifying numbers Nat1
Submission date
27/04/2016
Registration date
23/06/2016
Last edited
15/10/2020
Recruitment status
No longer recruiting
Overall study status
Completed
Condition category
Signs and Symptoms
Prospectively registered
Protocol
Statistical analysis plan
Results
Individual participant data

Plain English summary of protocol

Background and study aims
Around 80% of women experience some symptoms during the menopause, typically lasting about 4 years after the last period, but continuing for up to 12 years in about 10% of women. Those symptoms include vasomotor symptoms (hot flushes and night sweats), vulvovaginal atrophy/dyspareunia, sleep disturbance, adverse mood, a lack of interest in sex, headaches, joint and muscle stiffness, memory and concentration loss, and consequently quality of life may be severely affected. Treatments used to relieve menopause-related symptoms include lifestyle advice, hormone replacement therapy (HRT), antidepressants, herbal remedies, and other complimentary/alternative therapies. Given the issues with the potential safety and side effects of many prescribed medications, the lack of effectiveness of a number of lifestyle interventions, and the clear desire from many women to initially use more natural approaches, there is a need for an effective nutritional solution for managing menopausal symptoms. Several approaches using dietary supplements have been investigated and some were found to be beneficial, but none have investigated the benefits of combining them together. The aim of this study is to assess the effectiveness of a proprietary formulation of ingredients which individually have been shown to relieve the most troublesome symptoms of the menopause. The supplement provides thiamine, riboflavin, pyridoxine, vitamin D, soy isoflavones, rosemary extract and krill oil, and was previously studied in PMS and found to be highly effective in terms of relieving symptoms similarly common in menopause, such as anxiety, fatigue, forgetfulness, insomnia and headache.

Who can participate?
Women aged between 45 and 59 with problematic menopausal symptoms

What does the study involve?
Participants take two capsules of the supplement each day with meals for 3 months, and are instructed not to make significant changes to their usual diet. Participants are asked to complete a questionnaire over each of the following 3 months of the study, and rank the impact of the menopausal symptoms they experience.

What are the possible benefits and risks of participating?
The benefits are that participants may experience an improvement in the troublesome symptoms of the menopause. The assessments of menopausal symptoms are not invasive. Krill oil has been demonstrated to be a completely safe form of Omega 3 supplementation. The herbs and vitamins which are also ingredients in this formulation have also been demonstrated to be safe. Because krill oil is derived from a crustacean, people with an allergy to shellfish were advised not to participate in the study. Those taking anticoagulants were not allowed to participate in this study.

Where is the study run from?
Talkhealth Partnership Ltd (UK)

When is the study starting and how long is it expected to run for?
February 2015 to September 2015

Who is funding the study?
Savant Marketing Ltd

Who is the main contact?
Michael Wakeman

Contact information

Mr Michael Wakeman
Scientific

The Orchards
Fenny Bentley
DE6 1LB
United Kingdom

Study information

Study designProspective open-label evaluation
Primary study designObservational
Secondary study designCohort study
Study setting(s)Home
Study typeQuality of life
Participant information sheet Not available in web format, please use contact details to request a participant information sheet
Scientific titleAn open label pilot study to evaluate the effectiveness of a proprietary krill oil formulation in the relief of troublesome symptoms of the menopause
Study objectivesThe primary objective was to evaluate the effectiveness of a supplement in the management of menopausal symptoms. The study hypothesis was that it would significantly reduce the menopausal symptoms and be effective in their management. Primary outcome measure was based upon the scores of the self-assessment MRS questionnaire for symptoms at baseline compared to those at the end of each of the three months and the efficacy measures were assessed using the paired students t-test.
Ethics approval(s)Because those receiving concurrent treatment for menopause were excluded, and since no new interventions were introduced during the course of the trial, and no personal data identifying any individuals was collected, the study did not meet the criteria necessitating approval from a UK Regional Ethics Committee. However, the protocol did meet the necessary requirements of the investigators' academic institution.
Health condition(s) or problem(s) studiedMenopausal symptoms
InterventionEach dose of the krill oil compound supplement contains thiamine hydrochloride 1.4mg, riboflavin 1.6mg, pyridoxine hydrochloride 2mg, standardised soy isoflavones 50mg-(S101), standardised rosemary extract (S102) 50mg in soft gelatin capsules containing 350mg of krill oil. 2 capsules were taken each day during the active phase of the trial.
Intervention typeSupplement
Primary outcome measureSymptom severity was assessed using a Menopause Rating Scale (MRS) which measures menopausal or climacteric symptoms in a standardized way and was validated some years ago. It aims to establish an instrument that measures health-related quality of life that can easily be completed. The original German scale has been translated into English and culturally adapted. Assessed at baseline, 1 month, 2 months and 3 months
Secondary outcome measuresSide effects of the intervention assessed at baseline, 1 month, 2 months and 3 months
Overall study start date01/02/2015
Completion date01/09/2015

Eligibility

Participant type(s)Healthy volunteer
Age groupAdult
SexFemale
Target number of participants100
Key inclusion criteria1. Women aged between 45 and 59 years old
2. Presenting with a subjective complaint of problematic menopausal symptoms for a minimum of three days per week for a period of at least 3 months
3. Presence of: marked impaired daytime functioning, hot flushes, appetite loss, sleepiness, nausea, dizziness, tiredness, dry mouth, abnormal sweating, constipation, trouble sleeping, nervousness, mood changes, vaginal changes, urinary incontinence
Key exclusion criteria1. Evidence that menopausal symptoms are directly related to a severe or unstable medical disorder or severe psychiatric disorder (e.g.,bipolar disorder, schizophrenia)
2. Presence of sleep apnea or periodic limb movements during sleep
3. Presence of major depression or other severe psychopathology
4. Patients receiving HRT, clonidine, SSRI medications (antidepressants), Isoflavone containing supplements, Omega 3 or 6 supplements
Date of first enrolment01/02/2015
Date of final enrolment30/04/2015

Locations

Countries of recruitment

  • England
  • United Kingdom

Study participating centre

Talkhealth Partnership Ltd
Landmark House
Station Road
Hook
RG27 9LT
United Kingdom

Sponsor information

Total Health and Wellbeing Ltd
Industry

The Orchards
Fenny Bentley
DE6 1LB
United Kingdom

Funders

Funder type

Industry

Savant Marketing Ltd

No information available

Results and Publications

Intention to publish date
Individual participant data (IPD) Intention to shareYes
IPD sharing plan summaryAvailable on request
Publication and dissemination planTo be confirmed at a later date
IPD sharing plan

Study outputs

Output type Details Date created Date added Peer reviewed? Patient-facing?
Results article results 01/08/2016 15/10/2020 Yes No

Editorial Notes

15/10/2020: Publication reference added.
11/09/2019: No publications found, verifying study status with principal investigator.