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The report marks a turning point for sufferers of the disease – one which, despite growing awareness, remains grossly under researched.
Turns out – if you’re one of the estimated 1 in 10 women globally living with endometriosis – there might be something revolutionary about your plate of food. A landmark new study has found that eliminating gluten, dairy, coffee and alcohol can significantly reduce the painful symptoms of the chronic (often debilitating) condition.
On Instagram, posts about anti-inflammatory smoothies and gluten-free meal preps aren’t just wellness fluff. Women suffering from endometriosis are now adding them to a growing arsenal of treatments for their condition. Needless to say, the disease is still being largely neglected by science.
The new study represents a potential shift in how endometriosis is approached, both medically and socially. It’s the largest international survey ever conducted on diet and endometriosis, involving 2,599 people. 45% of those individuals reported improved pain when they stopped eating gluten, and another 45% had the same experience after cutting out dairy.
When the women cut down on coffee and other caffeine sources, 43% reported reduced pain, while 53% said the same when cutting back on alcohol.
‘It really feels like we are on the cusp of something pretty big with understanding how diet affects endometriosis symptoms,’ said Philippa Saunders, senior author of the study and professor of reproductive steroids at the University of Edinburgh.
‘It’s so important for women if they feel they can do something for themselves to tackle the pain of endometriosis – that is tremendously empowering.’
Despite its prevalence, endometriosis remains shrouded in mystery. It takes, on average, a staggering eight years to receive a diagnosis in the UK. That’s almost a decade of chronic pelvic pain, fatigue, nausea, and often infertility. On top of the physical symptoms, sufferers often face dismissal by doctors. This medical gaslighting reflects a broader lack of research into the illness – a symptom of the misogyny embedded within modern medicine.
In recent years, a number of reports have highlighted how endometriosis significantly impacts lives beyond the immediate physical pain. In England alone, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) found a direct correlation between endometriosis and lower wages.
Out of 55,000 women, a decrease in monthly earnings was found among those aged between 25 and 54 after they received a diagnosis of endometriosis in an NHS hospital. That decrease amounted to an average of £56 per month in the four to five years following diagnosis.
