Vitamin D Insufficiency and Uterine Fibroids

Fibroids are non-cancerous tumors that develop on the uterus and are the leading cause of hysterectomies in reproductive-age women. They often lead to long, heavy periods, back or pelvic pain, constipation, back pain or leg pain, and even difficulty with or incomplete urination. The incidence of fibroids is increasing among women of child-bearing age.  They can be painful and debilitating and surgery is a commonly recommended solution. However, a far-less invasive and less costly option can spare many women from surgery!  Multiple studies in vitro and in animals show the benefit of vitamin D supplementation to reduce fibroid growth and development. A human clinical trial demonstrated that in small fibroid tumors, bringing participants to lab norm status (ie, 30 ng/dl) caused a cessation of tumor growth, while those unwilling to be treated with vitamin D experienced a worsening of symptoms and increased tumor growth after 1 year. Ideal serum levels of Vitamin D are still up for debate, but suffice it to say, making sure you have enough Vitamin D may prevent a hysterectomy down the road if you have fibroids or a strong family history of them. An hour of sunlight a day is also associated with reduced risk of fibroid development, confirming a strong relationship between Vitamin D and fibroid tumors. (Sources here and here.)