Endometriosis is a hormone-dependent condition characterised by the presence of endometrial glands and stroma outside the endometrial cavity and uterine musculature. This triggers a chronic inflammatory reaction associated with many bothersome and debilitating symptoms: pelvic pain, adnexal lumpiness, severe dysmenorrhoea, pain during sexual intercourse (dyspareunia) or even infertility.
Risk factors for the development of this disorder include family history. On this basis, the prevalence is estimated to be between 6-9% and 15%. This is approximately 190 million women worldwide.
Several studies claim that dietary factors may be related to endometriosis because of their role in the regulation of steroid hormone metabolism, the effect on muscle contraction, the regulation of inflammation, oxidative stress and the menstrual cycle.
Therefore, nutrition, accompanied by a healthy lifestyle, plays an important role in reducing the incidence of endometriosis, which causes major problems and risks for fertility and pregnancy.
Influence of diet on inflammation
A good and healthy diet has many effects on people’s lives in the short, medium and long term. Studies confirm that people who eat correctly are much more likely to live longer than people with an unbalanced and poorly structured diet.
Each nutrient has different benefits. For endometriosis, it is the nutrients with high anti-inflammatory effects that would help to better control this chronic disease.
Among the micronutrients with the best effects on endometrial tissue, the following stand out:
- Vitamin C: This vitamin contributes to the strengthening of the membrane that covers the egg and acts as an antioxidant, neutralising free radicals that can damage it. It is found mainly in citrus fruits and vegetables.
- Vitamin E: It has a similar function to vitamin C, as it protects the structure of the egg membrane. It is present in foods such as seeds, olive oil and nuts, which also promote key aspects of fertility such as the mobility, quantity and quality of both eggs and sperm.
- Vitamin D: From certain foods and sun exposure, this vitamin is also important. Studies confirm that vitamin D reduces pelvic pain, as well as significantly increasing total antioxidant capacity.
Diet for women with endometriosis
For decades, different studies have focused on the behaviour and improvement or worsening of endometriosis according to the diet consumed by those affected by this disease.
These confirmed that high consumption of foods such as fresh and yellow vegetables, fruit, red meat, potatoes, pulses and dairy products, as well as eliminating ultra-processed and fried foods, are associated with a lower risk of endometriosis.
Conclusions of an anti-inflammatory diet
A diet loaded with anti-inflammatory foods reduces oxidative stress and thus improves endometrial tissue. A change in diet can be a turning point for fertility, because if you suffer from endometriosis, your chances of achieving pregnancy are likely to increase considerably.
In addition to this nutritional diet, the lifestyle of the person in question should also be taken into account. Avoiding the consumption of tobacco and alcohol, as well as implementing moderate physical exercise as a weekly routine, can be decisive, as although these factors do not cure endometriosis, they do improve the associated symptoms exponentially.
If you want to know the state of your endometrium and whether there is a risk of endometriosis, which would hinder fertility and pregnancy, do not hesitate to consult an OvobankUS professional.