Could changing what you eat help reduce endometriosis pain?
A new study suggests it might. Endometriosis is a chronic condition that affects about 1 in 10 women of reproductive age.
It happens when tissue similar to the lining of the uterus grows outside the uterus, often causing ongoing pain, bloating, and issues with the bladder and bowels. It can also make sex painful and cause fertility problems.
These symptoms can impact both physical and mental health.
While medication or surgery can help manage endometriosis, these treatments don’t work for everyone. Some people still experience symptoms even after surgery, so many women turn to other approaches like diet and supplements to relieve pain.
Researchers from the University of Edinburgh wanted to learn more about how diet might help.
They surveyed over 2,300 women with a confirmed endometriosis diagnosis, asking about dietary changes, supplement use, and whether these changes helped their pain.
They found that most women—about 84%—had tried changing their diet.
Of those, two-thirds said it reduced their pain. About 59% had tried supplements, and 43% felt they helped.
The most common dietary changes included cutting back on alcohol, gluten, dairy, caffeine, sugar, and processed foods.
Some women also tried specific eating patterns like the Mediterranean diet, which is rich in vegetables, fruit, fish, and olive oil, or the low FODMAP diet, which helps with bloating and discomfort.
Supplements such as turmeric, magnesium, peppermint, and ginger were also popular, with turmeric showing the most promising results for pain relief.
While this study gives helpful insights, it’s important to note it was based on self-reported experiences. That means the results rely on memory and personal judgment, which aren’t always reliable.
The study also can’t prove that diet changes directly caused the improvements in pain—only that many women felt better after making them.
Still, the results make sense. Endometriosis involves inflammation, and many of the diets and supplements in the study have anti-inflammatory effects. For example, eating fewer processed foods and adding more whole plant-based foods may help reduce inflammation in the body.
If you have endometriosis, following a Mediterranean or low FODMAP diet may help reduce pain.
Cutting back on alcohol and sugar might also be beneficial. However, removing entire food groups, like dairy, could lead to nutrient deficiencies unless replaced properly.
For the safest and most effective results, it’s best to talk to a dietitian before making big changes. They can help you manage your symptoms while keeping your diet balanced and healthy.
If you care about health, please read studies about the best time to take vitamins to prevent heart disease, and vitamin D supplements strongly reduce cancer death.
For more health information, please see recent studies about plant nutrient that could help reduce high blood pressure, and these antioxidants could help reduce dementia risk.
Source: The Conversation.
