Dietary Supplements as Supportive Therapy in Endometriosis: A Systematic Review
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This systematic review evaluated the evidence on dietary supplements used as supportive or adjunctive therapy for endometriosis, focusing on mechanistic areas such as inflammation, oxidative stress, immunomodulation, and antiproliferative effects. Synthesizing findings across available studies, the authors report that supplementation may provide therapeutic benefit for endometriosis through anti-inflammatory and antioxidant pathways, consistent with the disease’s multifactorial biology. A key caveat emphasized in the paper is that supplements are presented as adjuncts rather than replacements for standard medical or surgical management, and that the current evidence base is limited by the need for larger, well-designed clinical trials. This paper is centrally about endometriosis — it systematically reviews dietary supplement supportive therapies for endometriosis, linking them to inflammatory/oxidative stress mechanisms.
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Abstract
Endometriosis is a chronic, inflammatory gynecological disorder affecting 10–15% of women of reproductive age, characterized by ectopic endometrial tissue, dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia, chronic pelvic pain, and infertility. Its pathophysiology involves a complex interplay of inflammation, oxidative stress, angiogenesis, and dysregulated apoptosis. Conventional management strategies, including hormonal therapies and surgical interventions, are often limited by recurrence, side effects, and incomplete symptom relief. Consequently, interest has grown in adjunctive approaches, particularly dietary supplementation, for symptom management. Current evidence suggests that dietary supplementation may offer therapeutic benefit in endometriosis through anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, immunomodulatory, and antiproliferative mechanisms. While promising, these interventions should be considered adjunctive to standard medical or surgical treatment. Larger, well-designed clinical trials are needed to validate efficacy, establish optimal dosing, and determine long-term safety of supplementation strategies in endometriosis management.
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Dietary Supplements as Supportive Therapy in Endometriosis: A Systematic Review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.12775/JEHS.2026.87.67573Keywords
endometriosis, dietary supplement, treatment of endometriosis, oxidative stress, adjunct therapyAbstract
Endometriosis is a chronic, inflammatory gynecological disorder affecting 10–15% of women of reproductive age, characterized by ectopic endometrial tissue, dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia, chronic pelvic pain, and infertility. Its pathophysiology involves a complex interplay of inflammation, oxidative stress, angiogenesis, and dysregulated apoptosis. Conventional management strategies, including hormonal therapies and surgical interventions, are often limited by recurrence, side effects, and incomplete symptom relief. Consequently, interest has grown in adjunctive approaches, particularly dietary supplementation, for symptom management. Current evidence suggests that dietary supplementation may offer therapeutic benefit in endometriosis through anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, immunomodulatory, and antiproliferative mechanisms. While promising, these interventions should be considered adjunctive to standard medical or surgical treatment. Larger, well-designed clinical trials are needed to validate efficacy, establish optimal dosing, and determine long-term safety of supplementation strategies in endometriosis management.
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