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Endometriosis: Answers Beyond Surgery & The Pill

 
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Endometriosis: Answers Beyond Surgery and The Pill

It is estimated that 1 in 10 women suffer from endometriosis. As significant as this figure is the condition is also believed to be grossly under-diagnosed. The burden of this disease can substantially impact attendance and productivity at work or school. Sufferers typically face ongoing medications, invasive surgeries and long term issues with fertility management.

Natural medicine has much to offer in the management of this condition regardless of age or severity. Stacey "The Babymaker" Roberts has worked with countless women with endometriosis and today she shares some valuable insights from her clinical experiences that will help guide practitioners to make informed, intelligent treatment decisions. 

Covered in this Episode:

[02:15] What is Endometriosis?
[04:02] Who is most at risk?
[06:08] Why is it so poorly diagnosed?
[07:32] How effective is pain as an indicator of disease?
[08:45] Adhesion size and location and the impact on the symptom picture?
[10:11] What are the long term effects or complications?
[12:25] What are the common medical approaches?
[14:20] How do we approach Endometriosis with Integrative Medicine?
[26:28] What should couples be aware of?
[28:08] Applicable testing options
[31:03] Research: Lipoic Acid, NAC and Bromelain
[32:24] What about diindolymethane?
[35:10] What caveats do you have for your patients?
[35:40] Research: Combining marine pine bark with the OCP in endometriosis
[36:46] Working with both patient and medical professionals for the best outcome
[38:08] Statistics: The cost of endometriosis
[39:30] What age are we seeing endometriosis in young girls?


Other Podcasts with Stacey Include:


Research Explored in this Podcast

Evaluation of the relationship between endometriosis and omega-3 and omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids.

BACKGROUND: Endometriosis is a common chronic inflammation causing major problems including infertility. The role of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids as their potential anti-inflammatory effects in endometriosis needs to be further explored. The objective of this study was to compare serum phospholipid fatty acid profile in endometriosis patients with controls, and to explore the correlation of this profile with the severity of the disease.

METHODS: Sixty-four endometriosis patients and 74 control women, in reproductive age, participated in this study. Among the endometriosis patients, 19 cases were in stage I, 27 cases in stage II, 8 cases in stage III, and 10 cases in stage IV. Each patient underwent laparoscopy. Before surgery, 5 ml of blood was obtained. After extraction of the total lipids, serum total phospholipid fraction was isolated by thin layer chromatography. Fatty acid composition of the phospholipid fraction was determined by gas chromatography and the resulted profile was compared in endometriosis patients and controls. The profile was also compared in the endometriosis group based on the severity of disease.

RESULTS: Stearic acid was significantly lower in the endometriosis group as compared to controls (P= 0.030). No other fatty acid compositions were significantly different between patients and controls. Serum ratio of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) to arachidonic acid (AA) was in reasonable correlation with the severity of endometriosis (r = 0.34, P = 0.006).

CONCLUSION: According to these findings, levels of fatty acids in serum total phospholipids seem not to be a marker for endometriosis, but the EPA to AA ratio was a relevant factor indicating severity of illness.

Khanaki K, Nouri M, Ardekani AM, et al. Evaluation of the relationship between endometriosis and omega-3 and omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids. Iran Biomed J. 2012;16(1):38-43


The combination of N-acetyl cysteine, alpha-lipoic acid, and bromelain shows high anti-inflammatory properties in novel in vivo and in vitro models of endometriosis.

Abstract: To evaluate the efficacy of an association of N-acetyl cystein, alpha-lipoic acid, and bromelain (NAC/LA/Br) in the treatment of endometriosis we set up a new in vivo murine model. We explored the anti-inflammatory and proapoptotic effect of this combination on human endometriotic endothelial cells (EECs) and on endothelial cells isolated from normal uterus (UtMECs). We implanted fragments of human endometriotic cysts intraperitoneally into SCID mice to evaluate the efficacy of NAC/LA/Br treatment. UtMECs and EECs, untreated or treated with NAC/LA/Br, were activated with the proinflammatory stimulus TNF-α and their response in terms of VCAM1 expression was evaluated. The proapoptotic effect of higher doses of NAC/LA/Br on UtMECs and EECs was measured with a fluorogenic substrate for activated caspases 3 and 7. The preincubation of EECs with NAC/LA/Br prior to cell stimulation with TNF-α prevents the upregulation of the expression of the inflammatory "marker" VCAM1. Furthermore NAC/LA/Br were able to induce EEC, but not UtMEC, apoptosis. Finally, the novel mouse model allowed us to demonstrate that mice treated with NAC/LA/Br presented a lower number of cysts, smaller in size, compared to untreated mice. Our findings suggest that these dietary supplements may have potential therapeutic uses in the treatment of chronic inflammatory diseases like endometriosis.

Agostinis C, Zorzet S, De Leo R, et al. The combination of N-acetyl cysteine, alpha-lipoic acid, and bromelain shows high anti-inflammatory properties in novel in vivo and in vitro models of endometriosis. Mediators Inflamm. 2015; Epub Apr 16


Combining oral contraceptives with a natural nuclear factor-kappa B inhibitor for the treatment of endometriosis-related pain.

Abstract: Endometriosis is a chronic disease in which a persistent state of heightened inflammation is maintained by nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) activation. The progestins present in oral contraceptives are potent inhibitors of NF-κB translocation to cell nuclei, while Pycnogenol® (Pinus pinaster) acts by blocking post-translational events. In this study, the effects of Pycnogenol on pain scores were investigated in patients with endometriosis using oral contraceptives containing either gestodene or drospirenone in extended regimens. Pain scores were determined using a visual analog scale before and after 3 months of treatment. Oral contraceptives, used alone (groups 1 and 3) or in association with Pycnogenol (groups 2 and 4), resulted in significant decreases in pain scores after 3 months of treatment; however, this reduction was significantly greater in the groups using oral contraceptives + Pycnogenol (groups 2 and 4) compared with those using oral contraceptives alone (groups 1 and 3). In the groups using oral contraceptives alone, 50% of patients became pain-free by the end of the third month of treatment. These results suggest that Pycnogenol increases the efficacy of oral contraceptives for the treatment of endometriosis-related pain.

Maia H Jr, Haddad C, Casoy J. Combining oral contraceptives with a natural nuclear factor-kappa B inhibitor for the treatment of endometriosis-related pain. Int J Womens Health. 2013 Dec 21;6:35-9


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The information provided on FX Medicine is for educational and informational purposes only. The information provided on this site is not, nor is it intended to be, a substitute for professional advice or care. Please seek the advice of a qualified health care professional in the event something you have read here raises questions or concerns regarding your health.


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