Omega-3 EPA: A Useful Therapy Against Endometriosis
Endometriosis: Help from Omega-3 EPA
Taking Omega-3 EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) is an effective therapy against endometriosis. This is demonstrated by a study from Jichi Medical University in Saitama (Japan), published in Fertility and Sterility1. According to the authors, dietary Omega-6 fats do not have the same therapeutic effect.
Endometriosis and inflammation
Endometriosis is a disease that affects about 10% of women and is associated with high levels of inflammation. It is characterized by the growth of certain cells from the uterine lining (endometrium) on other organs in the abdominal cavity, such as the ovaries or intestines.
During the menstrual cycle, these cells respond to hormones like those inside the uterus and cause pain accompanied by inflammation.
Surgery, the only path to healing
Endometriosis can develop early in life, but many women discover they have it after age 25. Delayed diagnosis can significantly worsen the condition, which:
- increases symptom severity;
- in some cases makes conception difficult.
Painkillers provide only temporary relief. The only treatment to eliminate the disease is surgical removal of the abnormally located cells. Therefore, there is great interest in researching alternative therapies.
Omega-3: a new weapon against endometriosis
Japanese researchers evaluated whether Omega-3 could reduce the inflammation associated with this condition. Their hypothesis was that the increased incidence of endometriosis in the population is linked to an improper intake of lipids through diet. Studies were conducted on rats. The rodents were fed for 2 weeks with a diet enriched with Omega-3 EPA or Omega-6 LA (linoleic acid). After this period, the uterus of each animal was auto-transplanted into the abdominal cavity to create an endometriosis model. The rats were then fed for another 4 weeks with the same diets as before. The state of the endometrium was analyzed 2 and 4 weeks after the transplantation. It was found that an EPA-rich diet causes a significant increase of Omega-3 relative to Omega-6 in the body. The researchers explained that this increase is associated with a reduction of tissue thickening where the typical inflammation of endometriosis is localized, as well as the expression of certain genes involved in inflammatory processes.
Benefits of Omega-3 against endometriosis
The results support the hypothesis that Omega-3 could be a valuable aid against endometriosis. Indeed, a previous study, also published in Fertility and Sterility2, revealed that these nutrients reduce the survival of endometrial cells and regulate the function of some molecules involved in inflammation. Another study also showed that a diet rich in Omega-3 may help prevent endometriosis3.
Source
1. Netsu S, Konno R, Odagiri K, Soma M, Fujiwara H, Suzuki M, “Oral eicosapentaenoic acid supplementation as possible therapy for endometriosis”, Fertil Steril. 2008 Oct;90(4 Suppl):1496-502. Epub 2007 Dec 3
2. Gazvani MR, Smith L, Haggarty P, Fowler PA, Templeton A, “High omega-3:omega-6 fatty acid ratios in culture medium reduce endometrial-cell survival in combined endometrial gland and stromal cell cultures from women with and without endometriosis”, Fertil Steril. 2001 Oct;76(4):717-22
3. Missmer SA, Chavarro JE, Malspeis S, Bertone-Johnson ER, Hornstein MD, Spiegelman D, Barbieri RL, Willett WC, Hankinson SE, “A prospective study of dietary fat consumption and endometriosis risk”, Hum Reprod. 2010 Jun;25(6):1528-35. Epub 2010 Mar 23.
