Endometriosis and Natural Supplements: What the Latest Research Says About Nanocurcumin and Alpha Lipoic Acid

Endometriosis and Natural Supplements: What the Latest Research Says About Nanocurcumin and Alpha Lipoic Acid

 

Recent clinical research in women with endometriosis reported that suggests that two supplements 1) Nanocurcumin + 2) Alpha lipoic acid

• reduced pain & inflammation 
• improved quality of life

in women with endometriosis.

 

While they are not a cure and should not replace medical treatment, human studies in women with endometriosis have shown encouraging results, particularly when highly bioavailable forms are used.

 

What is Endometriosis?

Endometriosis affects around 1 in 10 women of reproductive age and is far more than just painful periods. It is a chronic inflammatory condition in which tissue similar to the lining of the womb grows outside the uterus, leading to pain, inflammation and, for many women, fertility challenges.

 

Why Are Scientists Interested in Nutrition and specific nutrients for endometriosis?

Endometriosis is a chronic whole body disease associated with:

• inflammation
• oxidative stress
• immune dysfunction
• oestrogen signalling

Certain nutritional strategies, including food supplements can target and improve all 4 of these areas and hence may provide significant benefit to women with endometriosis. 

 

At a Glance: What Does Human Research Show?

There are 2 human studies regarding nanocurcumin supplementation in women with endometriosis (not lab studies or studies in animals)

 

Across these 2 published human studies, nanocurcumin supplementation has consistently been associated with improvements in women with endometriosis

Table or graphic of the below - perhaps side by side (to be sharable)

 Nanocurcumin supplementation in endometrosis had the following benefits:

• ·      Decreased inflammation
• ·      Decreased Period pain (dysmenorrhoea)
• ·      Decreased Pain during sexual intercourse (dyspareunia)
• ·      Decreased Chronic pelvic pain
• ·      Decreased Pain during bowel movements (dyschezia)
• ·      Decreased Overall pain scores
• ·      Improved sexual function
• ·      Improved overall quality of life
• ·      Increased total antioxidant capacity
• ·      Improved fertility
• With different studies in women with endometriosis concluding:

nanocurcumin can be a therapeutic target for infertile patients with endometriosis' '                                       

'the combination of nanocurcumin and dienogest significantly reduced pain and improved quality of life and sexual function in women with endometriosis, suggesting nanocurcumin as an effective therapy'

In addition, there are 4 human studies regarding alpha lipoic acid supplementation in women with endometriosis (not lab studies or studies in animals)

 

Across these 2 published human studies, alpha lipoic acid supplementation has consistently been associated with improvements in women with endometriosis

Alpha Lipoic acid supplementation in endometriosis had the following benefits:

• ·      Decreased Period pain (dysmenorrhoea)
• ·      Decreased Chronic pelvic pain
• ·      Decreased Overall pain scores
• ·      Decreased Pain during sexual intercourse (dyspareunia)
• ·      Decreased painkiller use
• ·      Decreased incontinence
• ·      Improved sexual function
• ·      Improved overall quality of life

With different studies in women with endometriosis concluding:

The progressive reduction of the pain syndrome reported by women over the treatment period could contribute to improve the QoL and sexual life of women on alpha lipoic acid

 

W'women with endometriosis treated with alpha lipoic acid experienced a significant improvement in endometriosis-associated pelvic pain and required lower intake of pain killers'

 

 support the results of clinical trials showing the benefits of alpha-lipoic acid for the management of gynaecological pelvic pain, enabling the reduction or withdrawal of painkillers, anti-inflammatory medications and nerve medications'

 

suAlpha-lipoic acid may play a very important role in the treatment of individual symptoms of endometriosis'

At Phytaphix, we know the science!

That’s why we’ve built the Endo bundle

 

Our Evidence-Based Endo Bundle

Graphic of the below (to be easily understood + sharable)

Gold Standard Curcumin: 80mg nanocurcumin with essential micronutrients (including 400mcg methylfolate, vitamin B12 + vitamin D3 )

• Delivers highly bioavailable nanocurcumin
• One capsule daily, with food

 

Lipoic Acid Phix: 300mg R-alpha lipoic acid with ginger extract and essential micronutrients

• Delivers naturally occurring R-alpha lipoic acid
• One capsule daily, anytime

·      Gold Standard Curcumin – one capsule daily

·      Lipoic Acid Phix – one capsule daily

 

For the scientific details, see below:

Curcumin and endometriosis

Laboratory and animal studies have consistently shown that curcumin influences many of the biological processes involved in endometriosis.

Research suggests curcumin may help:

• Support healthy immune regulation
• Reduce inflammatory signalling
• Lower oxidative stress
• Reduce abnormal blood vessel formation
• Help regulate excess oestrogen activity
• Slow the growth of endometriosis-like tissue

 

These findings are encouraging because endometriosis is characterised by altered immune function, chronic inflammation, oxidative stress, abnormal blood vessel formation and oestrogen-driven tissue growth.

 

However, laboratory research alone does not prove that a supplement will work in people. So what does the human research show?

Curcumin supplementation in women with endometriosis

A 2024 clinical trial gave women with endometriosis 500 mg of standard curcumin twice daily (1,000mg daily – this is very high dose curcumin).

The researchers concluded that curcumin did not significantly improve pain symptoms or quality of life compared with the control group.

The researchers stated:

‘The results showed that using curcumin does NOT affect the painful symptoms and quality of life of women with endometriosis’.

These findings highlight an important issue: not all curcumin supplements are absorbed equally. Researchers therefore turned their attention to more bioavailable formulations such as nanocurcumin.

 

The Problem with Standard Curcumin

Most food supplements use artificially produced lipoic acid as it’s easier to manufacture with but standard alpha lipoic cid

• ·      Artificially manufactured
• ·      Not naturally occurring
• ·      Not great absorption or biological activity

   

  Nanocurcumin: A Better Form of Curcumin

• Nanocurcumin is designed to overcome one of the biggest limitations of conventional curcumin by dramatically improving its absorption.

  Because the curcumin particles are much smaller, more of the active compound can reach the bloodstream and the tissues where it is needed and can have benefit.

  This improved bioavailability has led researchers to investigate whether nanocurcumin may produce better clinical outcomes from standard curcumin.

Nanocurcumin and Women's Health

 

Previous research has shown that nanocurcumin has benefits in other area of women’s health:

• ·      Nanocurcumin and PMOS (PCOS)
• ·      Nanocurcumin and Menopause

But about what nanocurcumin and endometriosis?

 

Clinical Research on Nanocurcumin and Endometriosis

Study Snapshot 1

Participants

Women with endometriosis receiving dienogest

Intervention

Nanocurcumin (80mg) daily for 8 weeks

Researchers found

✓ less pelvic pain

✓ less painful periods

✓ less painful intercourse

✓ better quality of life

✓ improved sexual function

Can Nanocurcumin Improve Fertility in Women with Endometriosis?

Study Snapshot 2

Participants

Women with endometriosis  undergoing fertility treatment.

Intervention

Nanocurcumin (80mg) daily

10 weeks

Researchers found

✓ Increased total antioxidant capacity

✓ Higher antioxidant enzyme activity

✓ Reduced inflammatory markers in follicular fluid

The authors concluded that:

'Nanocurcumin treatment can modulate oxidative stress and inflammation in endometriosis.'

Specific to fertility,  women with endometriosis taking nanocurcumin also demonstrated improvements in several assisted reproduction (IVF) outcomes, including:

✓ More eggs retrieved

✓More mature (MII) eggs

✓Higher fertilisation rates

✓Improved embryo cleavage

✓Greater numbers of high-quality embryos

✓More eggs retrieved

 

The researchers concluded that nanocurcumin represents a promising therapeutic option for women with endometriosis-related infertility.

 

What Does the Current Evidence Tell Us?

Current research suggests an important distinction.

Studies using standard curcumin, which is poorly absorbed, have generally not demonstrated meaningful clinical benefits in endometriosis

By contrast, early human studies using nanocurcumin, a more bioavailable form of curcumin, have shown encouraging improvements in pain, inflammation, quality of life and fertility-related outcomes specifically in women with endometriosis

 

Why Choose Gold Standard Cucumin?

✓One capsule daily

✓Formulated by nutrition expert, Dr. Conor Kerley

Superior form of curcumin (Nanocurcumin)

✓Research based dose

✓Essential 12 micronutrients

__________________________________________________________________________________

Alpha Lipoic acid and endometriosis

Laboratory and animal studies have consistently shown that alpha lipoic acid influences many of the biological processes involved in endometriosis 4,5

Research suggests alpha lipoic acid:

·      Decreased total oxidative stress

·      Decreased Endometrial implant volumes

·      Decreased Inflammation

·      Decreased endometriosis severity

 

^·              Decreased number of endometrial cysts

 

One research group wrote:

 

‘Alpha-lipoic acid may have a therapeutic potential in the treatment of endometriosis due to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects’ ⁴

 

The Problem with Standard Alpha Lipoic Acid

Most food supplements use artificially produced lipoic acid as it’s easier to manufacture with but standard alpha lipoic cid

• ·      Artificially manufactured
• ·      Not naturally occurring
• ·      Not great absorption or biological activity

   

  R-alpha Lipoic Acid: A Better Form of Lipoic Acid 

  
  

  The R form of Alphia Lipoic Acid has multiple benefits:

  ·      The naturally occurring form

  ·      Better absorption

  ·      More biologically active

  ·      Better health effects

  ·      Better tolerance i.e. less side effects

Lipoic acid and Fertility in endometriosis

Most studies did not examine fertility. However, in one animal study regarding endometriosis and fertility, ALA increased pregnancy in endometriosis by 25% ¹⁰

 

Further, additional studies reported improved fertility in women after supplementing with alpha lipoic acid (see below).

 

Lipoic Acid and women’s health

Previous research has shown that alpha lipoic acid has benefits in other area of women’s health:

·      Alpha lipoic acid and pre-menstrual syndrome (PMS) or Dysmenorrhea

·      Alpha lipoic acid and PMOS (PCOS)

·      Alpha lipoic acid and Female fertility

 

As well as some conditions that affect women more than men

·      Alpha lipoic acid and Migraine

·      Alpha lipoic acid and Multiple sclerosis

 

But about what alpha lipoic acid and endometriosis?

 

Clinical Research on Alpha Lipoic Acid supplementation in women with endometriosis

There are 4 human studies regarding Alpha Lipoic Acid supplementation in women with endometriosis. Across five published human studies to date, alpha lipoic acid supplementation has consistently been associated with improvements in pain and quality-of-life outcomes.

One study in women with endometriosis found no benefit of ALA after 3 months…but after 6 months, there was reduced pelvic pain, period pain and painful sex as well as increased quality of life and sexual function.⁶

A 2018 study reported that pain scores and painkiller use decreased after 3 months but decreased again after 6 months.⁷

A 2019 study reported significant decreased in pain symptoms, including dyspareunia, dysmenorrhea and chronic pelvic pain.⁸

 

A 2022 case series reported that treatment with alpha lipoic acid decreased or eliminated pelvic pain and associated painful sex. The researchers wrote: these clinical cases support the results of clinical trials showing the benefits of alpha-lipoic acid for the management of gynaecological pelvic pain, enabling the reduction or withdrawal of other medications e.g. pain killers, anti-inflammatory and nerve medications.⁹