We evaluated the impact of vitamin E on mood disorders associated with menopause, particularly focusing on symptoms like anxiety and depression in a mouse model. The study involved ovariectomized mice to simulate estrogen deficiency, a key factor influencing menopause-related mood changes.
Our findings revealed that these mice exhibited behaviors typical of depression and anxiety, along with higher levels of corticosterone, a hormone linked to stress. We administered α-tocopherol (a form of vitamin E) and tocotrienol-rich palm oil extract over 14 days to see if they could alleviate these symptoms.
Remarkably, both treatments helped improve behavior in various tests designed to assess anxiety and depression. Notably, tocotrienol-rich palm oil extract showed additional benefits in mice subjected to chronic stress, effectively altering their emotional responses. Importantly, both treatments also led to reductions in elevated stress hormone levels.
These results suggest that vitamin E, through both α-tocopherol and tocotrienol-rich extracts, may help alleviate mood disorders linked to menopause by modulating the body's stress response. This could pave the way for new treatments to support women's psychological well-being during this challenging life stage.