Vitamins to Shrink Fibroids: Vitamin D Can Help

Are you hoping to use vitamins to shrink fibroids? Well, we’re here to help! As fibroid specialists in Dallas, that’s our whole job, whether we’re providing you with UFE (uterine fibroid embolization, a minimally invasive fibroid treatment, or whether we’re helping you manage symptoms while you explore treatment options. Basically, while you do your research, we want to help reduce unpleasant fibroid effects such as pelvic pain, long or heavy periods, constipation, frequent urination and more.

To help you feel your best, we stay on top of recent fibroid research. We know that exercise, diet and nutrition can help to balance hormones and lower fibroid risk, but did you know that vitamin D levels can also impact uterine fibroids?

Can Vitamin D Stop Fibroid Growth?

With the evidence we have right now, studies suggest that women can at least temporarily halt fibroid growth with vitamin D. (And that’s true regardless of race, which is important, since African American women develop uterine fibroids at disproportionate rates.) Fortunately, if seems that sticking to a vitamin D treatment protocol for an extended period could even shrink women’s fibroids.

But how much of this vitamin do you need? Well, one Fertility and Sterility tracked the vitamin D levels of 1610 black women between the ages of 23 and 35. None of them had fibroids yet, so they were the perfect population to help us understand how much vitamin D you need to take if you want to prevent fibroids.

To that end, researchers gave participants one of two doses: a 25-hydroxyvitamin D3, or 20-hydroxyvitamin D3. After, they were also given follow-up care. This is what they found: in the five years of the study’s term, women who were given the higher vitamin D dose had a 9.7% lower rate of developing fibroids.

Now, this is the kind of news we get excited about. After all, too many women with fibroids get a hysterectomy (that’s the surgical removal of your uterus). And they do so even though they could have found relief from less invasive treatment options. But why is that the case? So many women aren’t aware of other pathways to relief. Because lots of doctors don't spread the word about options like UFE that can shrink fibroids without surgery.

To help raise awareness, we like to spread the word about less-invasive fibroid treatments, whatever they may be. And that’s because we’re passionate about helping women choose a treatment that meets all their needs, based on accurate, scientific information.

Of course, vitamin D treatment may not relieve all your fibroid symptoms. Still, adding this supplement to your routine may give you some relief, while buying you time to find a more permanent form of treatment.

Vitamins to Shrink Fibroids: Can Vitamin D Make Fibroids Smaller?

While boosting your vitamin D levels seems to reduce fibroid risk, can doing so shrink existing tumors?  New evidence suggests it can! One trial in 2019 followed include 69 women with fibroids and vitamin D deficiency.  The women started taking vitamin D supplements, and many experienced a significant reduction in fibroid size. In presenting this evidence, the authors suggested that vitamin D supplements can actually treat fibroids.

Additional Vitamin D Benefits

This supplement also appears to boost immunity, and that can also help protect you from infections and illness. Some people enjoy mood boosts with vitamin D, and others even say it helps them lose weight. (Here, we could see another link to vitamin D’s benefits for fibroids, since losing excess weight can prevent fibroid growth.)

So, are you ready to beef up your vitamin D intake? While the strong Dallas sun is one sure source, it could also damage your skin. Instead, we suggest adding a vitamin D supplement to your daily routine, even if you don’t have fibroids. But first, be sure to speak to a licensed healthcare provider. At the same time, we invite you to explore other fibroid treatment options, by requesting an appointment with one of our Dallas-area fibroid specialists.

Sources: Fertility and Sterility Journal