A survey of over 2500 individuals has indicated multiple dietary modifications, including reducing alcohol and caffeine, may have a positive effect on pain. Some of the diets reported to benefit endometriosis pain incude reducing/removing gluten, dairy, or caffiene Endometriosis is a neuroinflammatory disorder where cells similar to those which line the uterus grow elsewhere in the body. It is estimated that 1 in 10 women and people assigned female at birth have endometriosis. Symptoms of the condition include severe chronic pain, infertility, fatigue, and gastrointestinal symptoms. It is difficult to diagnose and treat; currently diagnosis is only possible via laparoscopic surgery, and most treatments involve some form of hormone suppression or surgery, which can have undesirable side effects and do not always prove effective. Research indicates that the gut microbiome might be involved in pain regulation in inflammatory conditions such as endometriosis, and therefore that changes to diet or the microbiome might allow patients to manage their pain. This is the largest international survey to date of individuals with endometriosis who have tried diets and/or supplements to manage pain symptoms. There were a large number of different diets or strategies reported, with the most popular being a reduction/ elimination approach. The most popular dietary changes, each tried by over 1,000 people, were the reduction of alcohol and caffeine, as well as gluten-free and dairy-free diets. These diets were also the most effective, with over 50% of people who reduced their alcohol intake reporting an improvement in their pain symptoms. We know anecdotally that many people with endometriosis use dietary modifications to manage their symptoms, however, currently there is no clinical evidence to support their use. I hope this large dataset highlights that this area of research is of importance to the endometriosis community and can therefore lead to further research into the benefits of lifestyle changes on symptomology and suggests the value of a multidisciplinary medical team to support people making these changes. Francesca Hearn-Yeates PhD researcher and lead author Other diets, such as the low-FODMAP (Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides, and Polyols; certain types of sugars found in things like dairy, wheat, some fruit, such as apples, cherries, peaches, and some vegetables, such as onions and garlic) were less common among respondents to the survey. The findings of this survey support other clinical trials which suggest that dietary modifications may help people with endometriosis to manage their pain. About the author Francesca is a final year PhD student working as part of the EXPPECT Edinburgh Team at the Centre for Reproductive Health. During her PhD Francesca has been exploring the potential relationship between the gut microbiome and metabolome, and symptoms of pain and fatigue, in people with endometriosis. Previously, Francesca completed her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees at University College London and Imperial College London. She subsequently worked as a Research Technician in a microbiology laboratory at The University of Sussex, researching gonorrhoea and meningitis, before beginning her PhD. Dietary Modification and Supplement Use For Endometriosis Pain EXPPECT Publication date 02 Apr, 2025
