Dietary and Nutritional Interventions for the Management of Endometriosis

Endometriosis is a chronic, complex, systemic inflammatory condition that impacts approximately 190 million girls and women worldwide, significantly impacting their quality of life. The effective management of endometriosis requires a multi-disciplinary and holistic approach, one that includes surgical and medical management, such as a laparoscopy and a chronic medical management plan, as well as dietary, nutritional, and lifestyle adjunct interventions, such as pelvic pain physiotherapy and acupuncture. There is growing evidence to support the role of dietary and nutritional interventions in the adjunct management of endometriosis-related pain and gastrointestinal symptoms. However, the implementation of these interventions is often not regulated, as patients with endometriosis often adopt self-management strategies. Diet and nutrition can modulate key players integral to the pathophysiology of endometriosis, such as, but not limited to, inflammation, estrogen, and the microbiome. However, it is unclear as to whether diet plays a role in the prevention or the onset of endometriosis. In this review, we discuss three key players in the pathogenesis of endometriosis-inflammation, estrogen, and the microbiome-and we summarize how diet and nutrition can influence their mechanisms, and consequently, the progression and manifestation of endometriosis. There is a major need for evidence-based, non-invasive adjunct management of this debilitating disease, and diet and nutritional interventions may be suitable.