# The Role of Lifestyle and Diet in the Treatment of Endometriosis: A Review

## TL;DR

This review explores how lifestyle and diet can help manage endometriosis symptoms and improve quality of life alongside traditional treatments.

## Contribution

The paper highlights the emerging role of lifestyle and dietary interventions as complementary approaches in endometriosis treatment.

## Key findings

- Physical activity and anti-inflammatory diets like the Mediterranean diet are linked to reduced pain and inflammation.
- Micronutrients and supplements show potential for symptom relief, though evidence varies.
- Lifestyle factors such as sleep, stress, and chemical exposure may influence hormonal and inflammatory pathways.

## Abstract

Endometriosis is a chronic, oestrogen-dependent inflammatory condition affecting approximately 10% of women of reproductive age, frequently associated with chronic pelvic pain, dysmenorrhoea and infertility, substantially impairing quality of life. While pharmacological and surgical therapies represent the standard of care, growing evidence indicates that lifestyle and dietary factors play an important complementary role in symptom management and may influence disease progression. Regular physical activity appears to attenuate systemic inflammation, improve hormonal regulation and support psychological well-being. Dietary patterns rich in anti-inflammatory components, particularly Mediterranean-diets and low-inflammatory diets, have been associated with reduced pain and improved gastrointestinal symptoms, whereas high consumption of red and processed meats may increase disease risk. Micronutrients and selected supplements, including vitamins C, E and D, magnesium, zinc, folate, omega-3 fatty acids, N-acetylcysteine, curcumin, probiotics and green tea polyphenols, show promising but variable evidence for symptom relief. Additional lifestyle factors, such as avoiding endocrine-disrupting chemicals, moderating alcohol intake, ensuring adequate sleep and managing psychological stress, may further modulate inflammatory and hormonal pathways relevant to the disorder. Overall, current evidence indicates that integrating lifestyle interventions alongside conventional treatments offers clinically relevant benefits, although larger, well-designed clinical studies are needed to clarify the magnitude of these effects and to explore further promising lifestyle-based therapeutic approaches.