Fibroids

Introduction

Fibroids
What are fibroids?
Fibroids (also called myomas) are non-cancerous growths in or on the muscular wall of the womb (the myometrium). They can vary in number and size, according to the individual. Doctors will refer to the size of a fibroid in terms of a developing baby that size - in other words, 12 weeks. Some fibroids can be as small as a pea, but others can be as large as a seven- or eight-month-old foetus.

Fibroids are given different names depending on where and how they grow:

Submucosal fibroids grow on the inside of the womb and extend into the uterine cavity.
Intramural fibroids grow within the uterine wall (the wall of the womb).
Subserol fibroids grow on the outside of the womb, on the lining between the uterus and the pelvic cavity.
Penduculated fibroids can be attached either to the inside or outside wall of the womb, and they are characterised by a stalk

Fibroids are very common and can affect 20 percent of women over the age of 30. They are not common in women under the age of 20, except in Afro-Caribbean women who are more susceptible to fibroid growths, even in their teens.. Fibroids seem to run in families, but we are not sure at present whether this is a genuinely genetic predisposition, or whether lifestyle and diet play in role in some families.

What are the symptoms?

The main symptom of fibroids is heavy periods. When fibroids grow inside the womb (submucosal or intramural), the mechanism that operates menstrual flow may not work properly. The heavy bleeding can be a result of the fibroids making the womb bigger (creating a larger surface of womb lining that has to bleed every month), or the pressure of the fibroids may disrupt the normal blood flow. As a result many women with fibroids will have heavy periods, but experience no pain.
Some women do experience pain with fibroids -- not necessarily intense period pains, but a feeling of pressure and a dragging sensation in the abdomen.
If fibroids are on stalks (pendiculated), they can twist, causing extreme pain.
In some cases, the bleeding can be so severe that sufferers develop anaemia.
During menstruation, some women lose clots of blood that resemble pieces of liver. If the blood flow is heavy, the anti-clotting factors that are normally present in the menstrual blood may not be able to keep the blood flowing smoothly, hence the pieces of clotted blood.
Other women can experience periods that go on for weeks, sometimes with no real break between one period and the next.
In many cases, fibroids can be symptomless. If they grow in a way that doesn't cause pressure on the neighbouring organs, you can live with even large fibroids for many years without requiring any medical help. In most cases, they shrink the menopause and post-menopause years.
In some cases the first indication that there may be fibroids is when there is trouble conceiving (infertility) or maintaining a pregnancy (miscarriage).
Many women will never know they have them as they can give no symptoms. Significantly large fibroids can enlarge and distort the womb, making it impossible for a fertilised egg to implant. Many women who have been treated for infertility may have perfectly normal cycles. They will not have even known that they were pregnant, because the fertilised egg would have been unable to attach itself to the lining of the uterus with fibroids there.
If fibroids press on other organs, such as the bladder or bowel, you may experience frequent urination, constipation or even backache.
Most women do experience some abdominal swelling, although it may be minor. In other women, the lower abdomen can look as though you are in the early stages of pregnancy.

What are your choices?

What you eat can be crucial because it can help to control excess levels of oestrogen that can encourage the fibroid to grow. And if you need to have surgical treatment because a fibroid is preventing conception, for example, then it is crucial that you start eating well as soon as can, even before the surgery, in order to prevent a fibroid from regrowing after it has been removed.

Your liver
Your liver detoxifies harmful substances, such as toxins, waste products, drugs and alcohol. It also processes the hormones that your body produces and renders them harmless. It is supposed to deactivate oestrogen, but if your liver is not functioning efficiently. You can develop an accumulation of oestrogen because it is not being excreted properly. Again, this will encourage the growth of a fibroid.

Supplements

The supplements recommended below have been studied in clinical trials and have been found to be effective in connection with fibroids. For best results, you should take them over a period of three months, at the end of which you should be reassessed in order to monitor improvements and changes and then adjust the supplement programme according to your new condition.

The approach for controlling the excess bleeding from fibroids involves undertaking the same programme which would be suggested for heavy periods (menorrhagia). The idea is to use vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids to control the main symptoms (heavy bleeding), while you use dietary changes to help control the growth of the fibroids

Multivitamin and Mineral
A good quality multivitamin and mineral would form the foundation of your supplement programme to make sure that you are getting a 'little bit of everything'. You then add in those nutrients in slightly higher amounts which are known to be helpful for fibroids.

Vitamin A
Vitamin A is an antioxidant that generally helps to protect your cells against damage. It helps cells reproduce normally and is also needed for red blood cell production. Vitamin A deficiency has been found in women with heavy bleeding. One study showed that 92 percent of women prescribed supplemental vitamin A found that their heavy bleeding was either cured or alleviated.

B vitamins
The B vitamins are particularly important for heavy periods for a number of reasons. First and foremost, they are needed by the liver to convert excess oestrogen into weaker and less dangerous forms. One of the B vitamins, B6, is needed for the production of beneficial prostaglandins which help reduce abnormal blood clotting.

The B vitamins are also crucial for the conversion of linoleic acid to GLA (gamma linolenic acid) which is necessary to produce these beneficial prostaglandins. The B vitamins are required to convert Omega 6 oils into a form that can be used by the body to produce the 'good' type prostaglandins. Without this conversion, your body will more of the 'bad' prostaglandins which will increase the amount of bleeding at each period.

Vitamin C
Vitamin C and bioflavonoids help to strengthen the capillaries in the body, which can reduce heavy bleeding. Taken as a supplement, vitamin C has also produced excellent results for many women with heavy periods. One study showed that taking 200mg of vitamin C with bioflavonoids, three times daily, reduced bleeding in 87 percent of the women tested.

Zinc
This mineral is vital for the healthy functioning of the reproductive system and for hormone balance.

Iron
If you are bleeding very heavily, you may run the risk of becoming anaemic. Common symptoms of anaemia include fatigue, loss of appetite, constipation, irritability and pallor, among other things. If these symptoms seem familiar, see your doctor who will arrange tests. When you are tested for anaemia, the lab measures the level of iron available in your red blood cells (haemoglobin). However, iron is also stored as ferritin in other parts of the body, such as the spleen and liver. When your doctor orders tests, make sure that both your haemoglobin and ferritin are checked, as it is possible to be iron deficient even if your haemoglobin levels are normal.

Iron deficiency is a bit of a double-edged sword. If you bleed heavily throughout your periods, you will be more likely to be iron deficient. However, one of the symptoms of iron deficiency is also an increased risk of heavy bleeding. Iron helps the blood vessels to contract, which is need to slow down the flow during your periods.

If tests suggest that you are iron-deficient, take extra iron (as amino acid chelate or citrate) at 14mg per day. Vitamin C is essential for the body to absorb iron, so for maximum absorption take 1000mg (1 gram) of vitamin C with your iron supplement ON AN EMPTY STOMACH. Avoid taking iron and vitamin C alongside any other supplements you may be taking.

Avoid taking iron in the form of ferrous sulphate (also called iron sulphate), which is less easily absorbed by the body. Only 2 to 10 percent of the iron from this type of iron supplement is actually absorbed by your body, and even then, half is eliminated, causing blackening of your stools and constipation.

Ferrous sulphate is classed as an inorganic iron. Organic irons are much more easily absorbed and do not affect the bowels in same way. Look for iron in the form of ascorbates, malates or amino acid chelates (it will say this on the label); otherwise, iron-rich herbal formulas such as Floradix can be purchased from your healthfood shop.

Try to avoid drinking Indian or regular black tea with your meals, which blocks the uptake of iron from your food. Similarly, phosphates, found in fizzy soft drinks, will prevent iron from being absorbed by the body. Herb teas and fruit juices are fine.

Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs)
EFAs can be an important means of controlling heavy bleeding during periods.

One of the drugs used for menorrhagia, mefanamic acid, works by controlling 'BAD' prostaglandins, which can increase the flow of blood. It is possible to mimic the effects of this drug by making changes to your diet - in particular, to your intake of EFAs.

Both red meat and dairy produce contain something called arachidonic acid. This substance encourages the production of a 'BAD' type of prostaglandin (called PGE2) that leads to increased blood flow, and a reduced blood-clotting ability. The result? Heavier periods. In fact, research has shown that women with menorrhagia have higher levels of arachidonic acid, causing more PGE2 to be made.

What this means in practice, is that women with heavy periods should ideally consume less arachidonic acid, which is found mainly in animal-based foods. The other goal is to increase levels of essential fatty acids, which create the 'GOOD' type of prostaglandins. Beneficial prostaglandins help to reduce abnormal blood clotting, and they are produced from certain unsaturated fats, called essential fatty acids. EFAs are found in nuts, seeds, some oils (linseed/flaxseed, for example) and oily fish (including mackerel and salmon).

Tests

Tests are extremely useful, in that they can tell you what deficiencies you have at the moment and then for you to know what supplements would be useful to take to correct those deficiencies. You would then be re-tested after three to four months to monitor your progress and to adjust the supplement programme accordingly.

Mineral Analysis Test with Supplement and Nutritional Assessment Programme
This test measures the deficiency and excess levels of 7 different minerals and 5 heavy toxic metals that may be present in your body.

Online Personalised Supplement Assessment Programme
The analysis of this comprehensive questionnaire will give you a three monthly supplement programme to help balance any vitamin and mineral deficiencies you may have.

After three months you would then have a re-test in order to monitor your progress and adjust your supplement programme according to your new condition.

If you need help in obtaining any of the supplements, herbs or tests mentioned above, click, Fibroids options at The Natural Health Practice. They can supply all of them for you online or if you prefer to talk to somebody first you can also order by mail order on the telephone. The products supplied by this company are always of the highest quality.

Plan of Action

Nutrition
Ensure you are getting the right nutrition:
Follow dietary recommendations outlined on the Foundation of Health page.
And for more information on the special dietary recommendations for fibroids, see the rest of the chapter on Fibroids e-book at The Natural Health Practice

Supplements

The supplement programme below should be taken for at least three months in order to achieve best results

Your supplement plan

A good multivitamin and mineral tablet
Vitamin A* as beta-carotene, not retinol; (10,000 iu per day)
Vitamin C with bioflavonoids (1000mg per day)
Linseed oil (1000mg per day)
Vitamin B complex (providing 50mg of each B vitamin)
Zinc citrate (15mg per day)

*High doses of vitamin A are only problematic if you are planning a pregnancy. If so, keep vitamin A to 2500 iu per day.

At the end of three months you should reassess your condition and adjust your supplement programme accordingly.

Tests

The tests below have been specially selected to be the most helpful if you are concerned about fibroids.

Mineral Analysis Test with Supplement and Nutritional Assessment Programme

Online Personalised Supplement Assessment Programme

After three months you would then have a re-test in order to monitor your progress and adjust your supplement programme according to your new condition.

The section above forms part of a larger complete e-book on Fibroids. In the rest of the e-book you will learn what the medical approaches to Fibroids are and how to combine them with the natural approach. This is called Integrated Medicine and is the way that healthier of the future is moving towards. You will also learn what medical tests will give you an accurate diagnosis of your condition and if you really need to have them. The medical treatments for fibroids are then examined which can include looking at either drugs or surgery. Each treatment is then discussed and the pros and cons of the options explained. The Integrated Approach to Fibroids is considered in some detail so that if appropriate you can know how to combine the best of both conventional and natural medicine.

At the end of the e-book is a practical step by step summary of what you can do to help yourself.

If you would like to read the rest of this e-book click, Fibroids e-book at The Natural Health Practice. and you will be given details of how you can download the whole e-book.

Or if you would like even more in depth advice about Fibroids you should read my New book "Getting Pregnant Faster".

Introduction What are your choices? Plan of Action

Disclaimer

The contents of this site are for information only and are intended to assist readers in identifying symptoms and conditions they may be experiencing. This site is not intended to be a substitute for taking proper medical advice and should not be relied upon in this way. Always consult a qualified doctor or health practitioner, especially if you are pregnant, taking the pill or on any medication. Your situation will need to be looked at individually and you should not attempt to self treat. The author and publisher cannot accept responsibility for illness arising out of the failure to seek medical advice from a doctor.

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