This Common Vitamin May Play A Bigger Role In Fibroids Than We Thought
For those experiencing heavy periods or pelvic pain as part of everyday life, noncancerous growths called fibroids that develop in or around the uterus are often the unwelcome explanation. They're extremely common, yet researchers are still figuring out what drives them and how to keep them from growing.
A new analysis1 looked at one surprisingly simple piece of the puzzle: vitamin D. Researchers pulled together decades of evidence to see how vitamin D levels relate to fibroids and whether getting enough might help keep them in check.
About the review
Researchers brought together 69 studies to get a clearer picture of the connection between vitamin D and uterine fibroids.
The research involved human participants or human fibroid tissue and included studies that looked at vitamin D levels as well as clinical trials testing vitamin D supplements.
For the main analysis, researchers combined data from more than 3,600 women, about half with fibroids and half without. They compared vitamin D levels between the groups and separately looked at whether taking vitamin D affected fibroid growth.
This allowed researchers to look beyond any single study and see whether the same pattern showed up across a larger body of evidence.
Women with fibroids had lower vitamin D levels
Across the clinical studies, women with fibroids generally had lower vitamin D levels than women without fibroids.
The supplementation trials also found that vitamin D helped slow or stabilize fibroid size.
This doesn't mean the research suggests vitamin D itself actually shrinks large, established fibroids.
Instead, its potential benefit appeared to be slowing growth or helping prevent fibroids from returning after removal.
It's also important to note that this review found an association, but doesn't prove low vitamin D causes fibroids, or vice versa. Other factors could contribute to both.
Why vitamin D is worth a closer look
Fibroids affect a huge number of women, and the burden isn't evenly distributed. The review notes that more than 80% of Black women and nearly 70% of white women develop fibroids by age 50.
Vitamin D deficiency is also common, making it a relatively easy factor to address.
This doesn't mean that everyone with fibroids needs to be taking a vitamin D supplement, or that adequate vitamin D levels will prevent fibroids. It simply gives doctors another piece of information to consider.
If you have fibroids, check your vitamin D status
If you have fibroids or are concerned about them, there are practical steps you can take to figure out how vitamin D fits into your overall care plan:
- Ask about testing: Talk to your OB-GYN about whether a vitamin D blood test makes sense for you, particularly if you have risk factors for vitamin D deficiency.
- Know your options: Vitamin D comes from several sources, including sunlight, supplements, and foods such as fatty fish and egg yolks. Your doctor can help you determine whether you need to increase your intake and which approach makes sense for you.
- Don't skip your regular care: Vitamin D shouldn't replace treatment or monitoring for fibroids. Work with your health care provider on a plan based on your symptoms, fibroid size and location, and overall health status.
- Keep expectations realistic: The research so far suggests vitamin D may help slow or stabilize fibroid growth, but it isn't expected to dissolve existing fibroids.
The takeaway
Vitamin D certainly isn't a cure for fibroids, but it gives doctors an additional aspect to consider when caring for patients with fibroids. It also provides a tangible way for patients to take action against these frustrating growths.
If you have fibroids, your vitamin D status is something concrete to discuss with your doctor at your next appointment.
