Does Vitamin D Help with Uterine Fibroids?

Fibroids are associated with infertility, miscarriage, heavy bleeding, and pelvic pain. Treatment options have traditionally been limited to surgical intervention, but that’s changing with new research on vitamin D supplementation.

By Margaret Rogers, MPA

Uterine fibroids, also known as leiomyomas, are the most common benign (non-cancerous) tumors in women of reproductive age. They are associated with infertility and miscarriage, not to mention the symptoms of heavy bleeding and pelvic pain. Treatment options have traditionally been limited to surgical intervention, but that’s changing as new research is emerging that vitamin D supplementation could reduce the progression of fibroids. [1]

How Common Are Fibroids? 

Fibroids are fairly common. Approximately 50-80% of women will get fibroids in their lifetime. [2] A population based study in the US detected fibroids in 59% of Black women and 43% of white women. [3] For women in their late 40s, the estimated frequency of fibroids was >80% for Black women and near 70% for white women. And they are three to four times more common in Black women, who are also ten times more likely to have a vitamin D deficiency. [4]  Read up on the different types of fibroids. 

My Experience With Fibroids

This emerging research on non-surgical options to treat fibroids hits close to home for me. Why? Because when I was 28 years old, I had my first miscarriage. During the ultrasound to confirm the miscarriage, the OBGYN commented on the presence of a very large fibroid. This was news to me because, at my annual doctor’s appointment just six months earlier, it wasn’t detectable. Over the next few weeks, I learned that the fibroid may have contributed to the miscarriage. [5] Because of this link, as well as the size and location of my fibroid, my doctor recommended an abdominal myomectomy to remove the fibroid before trying to get pregnant again. 

This was upsetting not only because of the time and cost it added before we could start trying to get pregnant again (six months after surgery), but also because it meant I’d have to have cesarean sections (c-sections) with any future pregnancies. I’d always wanted to have a vaginal birth if possible, so learning that was no longer an option was mentally challenging. Plus, a c-section is a major surgery and adds some additional risk and complexity to healing from childbirth!

Vitamin D and Fibroids

Recent studies have looked into the role of vitamin D in the development of uterine fibroids. We are learning two things [6]:

1. There is an association between vitamin D deficiency and an increased risk of uterine fibroids.
2. Vitamin D supplementation may help shrink uterine fibroids.

Treating Fibroids Without Surgery

Traditionally, treatment options for fibroids include surgery (hysterectomy and myomectomy) and uterine arterial embolization. In fact, fibroids are among the most common reasons for major surgery in pre-menopausal women, and the leading cause of hysterectomy in the United States. [7] While surgery can be effective, hysterectomies are not an option for women who still plan to have children one day. Not to mention, they are expensive, painful, and associated with significantly increasing morbidity and mortality. [8] Additionally, abdominal myomectomies may necessitate c-sections in future pregnancies due to an increased risk for uterine rupture during labor, which is a big consideration (and another major surgery) for women who plan to have children. This is something that your OBGYN will decide based on the number and/or location of fibroids at the time of removal. 

However, there are potential non-surgical ways to manage fibroids, including vitamin D supplementation. [6-7] Researchers funded by the NIH found that vitamin D inhibited the growth of human fibroid cells in laboratory cultures. Louis De Paolo, Ph.D., chief of the Reproductive Sciences Branch of the NIH’s Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development said of the study: "The results provide a promising new lead in the search for a non-surgical treatment for fibroids that doesn't affect fertility.” [9] 

Another study of women with uterine fibroids and vitamin D deficiency found that after 12 months of vitamin D supplementation, women had a lower rate of surgical and medical treatment. [1] The authors concluded, “Vitamin D supplementation seems to reduce the progression to an extensive disease, and thus the need of conventional surgical or medical therapy.” [1] 

Can Vitamin D Shrink Uterine Fibroids?

Can vitamin D shrink fibroids? Vitamin D is the most researched supplement in the treatment of fibroids. One clinical trial on 69 women with fibroids and vitamin D deficiency found that fibroid sizes significantly decreased in the group receiving vitamin D supplementation. [110 The authors concluded that “vitamin D administration is the effective way to treat leiomyoma [fibroids]”. [10] 

Other supplements include epigallocatechin gallate (green tea), berberine, and curcumin, but more research is needed. [11] 

Natalist Can Help

If you suffer from fibroids and vitamin D deficiency, or if you’re concerned about your risk of fibroids, talk to your doctor about your options. Ask as many questions as possible, and don’t be afraid to get a second opinion. You’re your own best health advocate, and if you prefer to pursue newer treatment options, you deserve a doctor who will support you. Natalist is also here to help, with well-researched, high-quality products. Get Vitamin D gummies, prenatal vitamins for women, and more. 

Sources:

1. Ciavattini A, Delli Carpini G, Serri M, et al. Hypovitaminosis D and "small burden" uterine fibroids: Opportunity for a vitamin D supplementation. Medicine (Baltimore). 2016;95(52):e5698. doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000005698
2. Baird DD, Dunson DB, Hill MC, Cousins D, Schectman JM. High cumulative incidence of uterine leiomyoma in black and white women: ultrasound evidence. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2003;188(1):100-107. doi:10.1067/mob.2003.99
3. Cardozo ER, Clark AD, Banks NK, Henne MB, Stegmann BJ, Segars JH. The estimated annual cost of uterine leiomyomata in the United States. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2012;206(3):211.e1-211.e2119. doi:10.1016/j.ajog.2011.12.002
4. Halder SK, Sharan C, Al-Hendy A. 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 treatment shrinks uterine leiomyoma tumors in the Eker rat model. Biol Reprod. 2012;86(4):116. Published 2012 Apr 19. doi:10.1095/biolreprod.111.098145
5. Parazzini F, Tozzi L, Bianchi S. Pregnancy outcome and uterine fibroids. Best Pract Res Clin Obstet Gynaecol. 2016;34:74-84. doi:10.1016/j.bpobgyn.2015.11.017
6. Al-Hendy A, Badr M. Can vitamin D reduce the risk of uterine fibroids?. Womens Health (Lond). 2014;10(4):353-358. doi:10.2217/whe.14.24
7. Eltoukhi HM, Modi MN, Weston M, Armstrong AY, Stewart EA. The health disparities of uterine fibroid tumors for African American women: a public health issue. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2014;210(3):194-199. doi:10.1016/j.ajog.2013.08.008
8. Brakta S, Diamond JS, Al-Hendy A, Diamond MP, Halder SK. Role of vitamin D in uterine fibroid biology. Fertil Steril. 2015;104(3):698-706. doi:10.1016/j.fertnstert.2015.05.031
9. Vitamin D shrinks fibroid tumors in rats. Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD). March 2012. https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/vitamin-d-shrinks-fibroid-tumors-rats
10. Hajhashemi M, Ansari M, Haghollahi F, Eslami B. The effect of vitamin D supplementation on the size of uterine leiomyoma in women with vitamin D deficiency. Caspian J Intern Med. 2019;10(2):125-131. doi:10.22088/cjim.10.2.125
11. Ciebiera M, Ali M, Prince L, et al. The Evolving Role of Natural Compounds in the Medical Treatment of Uterine Fibroids. J Clin Med. 2020;9(5):1479. Published 2020 May 14. doi:10.3390/jcm905147

Originally published on March 17, 2021. Updated for accuracy and relevancy on January 19, 2024. 

Margaret Rogers is a skilled marketing expert with a passion for women’s reproductive health, community outreach, research, and public speaking. Margaret was one of the first employees to join the Natalist team and now serves as the Director of Consumer Brand Marketing for Everly Health. She has a B.S.c. from Washington & Lee University and an MPA and graduate certificate in Arts Management from The Graduate School of the College of Charleston.