Almost one-half of affected women have problems with
infertility
Dr, Andrew
Weil Vancouver Sun
Q: You have not written much about endometriosis. Is there nothing a person
can do nutritionally for this problem?
A: Endometriosis is an often painful condition that develops when tissue
that looks and acts like the endometrium (the lining of the uterus) migrates
outside the uterus. This tissue implants itself on the fallopian tubes,
ovaries, the ligaments supporting the uterus, in the area between the vagina
and rectum, on the outer surface of the uterus, or on the lining of the pelvic
cavity. Although displaced, the tissue continues to act as if it were still in
the uterus: Every month, in response to hormonal signals, it thickens, breaks
down and bleeds. With no route out of the body, the trapped blood can cause
inflammation, pain, scar tissue formation, adhesions and bowel problems.
The most common symptoms of endometriosis are severe menstrual cramps and
pelvic pain at other times -- during ovulation, intercourse, bowel movements or
urination. More seriously, between one-third and one-half of affected women
have problems with infertility.
Nobody knows the cause. One theory holds that endometriosis results from a
backflow of menstrual tissue through the fallopian tubes into the pelvic area.
Since the disorder seems to run in families, it may have a genetic basis.
Another possibility: The errant tissue may have developed in the wrong place as
far back as embryonic life.
Conventional medicine treats endometriosis with pain medications and with
hormonal drugs, including birth control pills, to block ovulation and put the
menstrual cycle on hold. One of these drugs is Danazol, a weak synthetic male
hormone that suppresses growth of the endometrium. It can help but can also
cause side effects such as acne and facial hair growth. Another, Synarel, also
blocks the menstrual cycle but can cause hot flashes and vaginal dryness. None
of these drugs cures endometriosis -- they just give women a break from the
pain.
You can try to manage endometriosis nutritionally with an anti-inflammatory
diet (visit www.DrWeil.com for more information). My colleague, Dr. Victoria
Maizes, executive director of the Program in Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona, suggests eliminating dairy
foods entirely for three weeks. Read labels carefully and avoid all foods
containing whey, casein and cow's milk or milk protein, because of the
estrogenic hormones they contain, (naturally occurring as well as artificial).
Other suggestions:
- Eat only hormone-free meat to avoid any additional estrogen exposure.
- Avoid soy foods if you have not been eating them regularly; they are
weakly estrogenic.
- Avoid alcohol (it affects how estrogen is metabolized in the body).
- Choose organic foods whenever possible.
- Try traditional Chinese medicine.
- Take omega 3 fatty acid supplements (start with 1 gram a day and increase
the dose gradually -- by 1 gram a week -- to 3 to 4 grams daily).
- Try dong quai herb (Angelica sinensis) (3 to 4 grams daily) for its
anti-inflammatory and anti-spasmodic effects. (Don't use dong quai if you have
very heavy periods since it can make matters worse.)
- Try whole licorice extracts, which can be helpful for inflammatory
disorders. You can also experiment with peony (Paeonia officinalis), which can
help relieve menstrual cramps.
- Imagery or hypnosis can also be of great value.
- Drink a cup or two of red raspberry leaf tea daily to relieve cramps.
- Take 500 mg of supplemental calcium and 250 mg of magnesium daily.
- Try chaste tree herb (Vitex), a general tonic for the female reproductive
system. Use 240 mg a day of an encapsulated extract standardized to 0.6 percent
aucubine. (Don't use chaste tree if you're on birth control pills or taking
other hormonal drugs.)
- - -
Forskolin for urinary tract infections?
Q: I just read that an herbal extract, forskolin, can reduce bladder
infections. Is it safe?
A: Researchers at Duke
University Medical
Center recently published
findings that forskolin can enhance the ability of antibiotics to kill bacteria
that cause recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs). Forskolin is a natural
product, obtained from Indian coleus (Coleus forskohlii), a member of the mint
family. It has long been used in Ayurvedic medicine to treat painful urination,
and is now being promoted in the United States as a weight loss aid
and a means of increasing lean body mass.
I can only report the Duke findings, because I have no firsthand experience
with forskolin. The investigators explained that urinary tract infections often
recur because antibiotic treatment doesn't eradicate all of the causative
bacteria. The drugs cannot reach germs hidden in pouchlike structures in the
lining of the bladder. When the course of treatment ends, these bacteria can
emerge and multiply to reactivate a UTI.
In the Duke study, which was done in mice, forskolin flushed bacteria out of
the pouches so that they could be destroyed by the antibiotics. If this
strategy works in further studies and in humans, it could lead to better
treatment for bladder infections. But that's not going to happen tomorrow. The
Duke researchers injected forskolin directly into the bladder or administered
it intravenously. Next, they have to give it by mouth to see if it remains
effective, and then test it in larger animals before going to human clinical
trials.
Even if it works in humans as well as it did in mice, it would have to be
combined with antibiotics for effective treatment of recurrent infections.
Untreated urinary tract infections can spread to the kidneys, so antibiotics
remain the best way to deal with them.
- - -
The views expressed in this column are the author's. Readers are advised
always to consult their doctor for specific information on personal health
matters. The naming of any product or therapy in this column does not represent
an endorsement by The Vancouver Sun.
Ask Dr. Weil does not provide specific medical advice and is not intended as
a substitute for the advice provided by your physician or other health-care
professional. You should always consult your physician to discuss specific
symptoms and conditions.
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