Nutraceuticals may help for endometriosis pain

Endometriosis-related pain may be improved with nutraceuticals

Key Points

Highlights: 

• This clinical study evaluated a nutraceutical (alpha-lipoic acid, palmitoylethanolamide, and myrrh) resulting in an acceptable outcome in endometriosis patients.

Importance:

• Anti-inflammatory medications and lifestyle changes including diet form the integrated approach in endometriosis pain. However, the medications can be used only for the short term. Natural substances with anti-inflammatory properties for this purpose has been found to be effective.

What's done here: 

• This multi-center prospective study enrolled 60 women aged between 20 and 39, with ovarian endometriosis and chronic pelvic pain, for one year. 
• All women took a product based on 400 mg alpha-lipoic acid, 300 mg palmitoylethanolamide (PEA) and 100 mg myrrh, at a dose of two tablets per day for six months.
• Follow up was made by ultrasonography, and all the women were requested to complete a questionnaire related to their pain status.
• Dysmenorrhea and pelvic pain were evaluated using an Analog pain Scale (APS), specifying the duration of symptoms in days.

Key Results:

• The nutraceutical (the mixture of 400 mg alpha-lipoic acid, 300 mg palmitoylethanolamide (PEA) and 100 mg myrrh) was well tolerated.
• There was no attempt of termination among the 60 participants.
• Ovarian endometriosis lesions, as measured by ultrasonography, were stable and there was no size alteration.
• Pain symptoms were less after three months for chronic pelvic pain, dysmenorrhea and after 6 months for dyspareunia.  

Lay Summary

 Dysmenorrhea and chronic pelvic pain occur in endometriosis patients in a significant percentage. Anti-inflammatory medications and lifestyle changes including diet form the integrated approach in this regard. However, the medications can be used only for the short term. Natural substances with anti-inflammatory properties for this purpose may be effective.

Italian physicians conducted a multi-center prospective study on 60 women aged between 20 and 39 with ovarian endometrioma and chronic pelvic pain for one year. The results were published in "Minerva Ginecologica".

All women took a product composed of 400 mg alpha-lipoic acid, 300 mg palmitoylethanolamide (PEA) and 100 mg myrrh, at a dose of two tablets per day for six months. Follow up was made by ultrasonography, and all the women were requested to complete a questionnaire related to their pain status. Dysmenorrhea and pelvic pain were evaluated using an Analog pain Scale (APS), specifying the duration of symptoms in days.

The nutraceutical (a mixture of 400 mg alpha-lipoic acid, 300 mg palmitoylethanolamide (PEA) and 100 mg myrrh) was well tolerated, there was no attempt of termination among the 60 participants. Ovarian endometriomas, as measured by ultrasonography, were stable. Pain symptoms for chronic pelvic pain and dysmenorrhea were less after three months and for dyspareunia, after 6 months. 

This prospective study has shown good tolerance and efficacy of these products with homogeneous results among the patients. However, a component of the placebo effect cannot be completely ruled out. 

Nutraceuticals as lipoic acid, PEA and myrrh may play a significant role in treating symptoms of endometriosis patients. 

Research Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30696240