The Role of Dietary Fats in the Development and Treatment of Endometriosis

Angelika Marcinkowska, Magdalena Górnicka
Life (Basel, Switzerland) · 2023 · vol. 13(3) , pp. 654 · doi:10.3390/life13030654 · PMID:36983810 · W4322500708
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⚙ AI-generated summary by claude@2026-06, 2026-06-08 ⓘ

This review examines how dietary fats influence endometriosis development and inflammation, suggesting saturated and trans fats may increase risk, while monounsaturated and omega-3 fats may lower risk and disease severity.

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Abstract

Endometriosis is an estrogen-dependent disease in women of childbearing age that affects approximately 5-15% of the female population. The etiology of endometriosis is complex, multifaceted, and not fully understood. In endometriosis, which is an estrogen-related chronic inflammatory condition, estrogen plays a major role in endometrial cellular growth. High estrogen levels could be another risk factor for developing endometriosis. The aim of this review is to update knowledge on the impact of dietary fats on the development of endometriosis and chronic inflammation in women with endometriosis and diet therapy. Dietary fat may be linked with the progression and development of endometriosis, but studies have been contradictory due to various issues including sample size, different study designs, and different methodological aspects. Results have shown that the risk of endometriosis may increase with a higher consumption of products rich in saturated fats, especially palmitic acid and trans-unsaturated fatty acids. Monounsaturated fats and omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids may likely be connected with a lower risk of developing endometriosis and with reductions in the severity of disease. Monounsaturated fats, omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, and a suitable eicosapentaenoic acid to arachidonic acid ratio can be used in diet therapy to improve quality of life by reducing pain and inflammation. Further research is needed in order to fully understand the influence of dietary fats on the risk of development of this disease.

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Condition tags

endometriosis

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Papers in the corpus that this work cites (lower rings, blue) and that cite this one (upper rings, green). Dot size scales with the paper's in-corpus citation count — bigger dot = more influential within the endo/adeno field. Click a dot to open that paper. [ expand to 2 hops ] — adds papers reached through this work's immediate citers/citees. Heavier; up to 60 extra dots.

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