FOUR-YEAR GLUTEN-FREE DIET RESOLVES ENDOMETRIOSIS: A CASE REPORT

Abstract

troduction: Ectopic endometrial tissue and persistent inflammation are characteristic features of endometriosis which is a chronic illness. Due to the limited efficacy of standard treatments such hormone therapy, analgesics, and surgery, patients are increasingly turning to alternative methods. The following case presents interesting information about the influence of controlling diet in management of recurrent endometriosis by shedding light on the improvement experienced by a 44-year-old woman struggling with endometriosis, after being on a gluten-free diet.
Case Presentation: A 44-year-old multiparous woman with chief complaint of dyschezia and constant pelvic pain worsening during menstruations, was found to have increased CA-125 levels. Imaging revealed bilateral hemorrhagic ovarian cysts diagnosed as endometriosis. Initially, oral contraceptives led to minor relief, but the pain recurred after termination of usage. The patient then decided to opt for another solution by strictly adhering to a gluten-free diet. Over the course of four years, it was noted that her pelvic pain had disappeared and her CA-125 levels returned to normal. Recent imaging showed that the left ovary's cyst had shrunk in size and the right ovary's cyst had resolved.
Conclusion: This case suggests a potential role for dietary interventions, especially a gluten-free diet, in the management of endometriosis. Although preliminary data points to its advantages, randomized trials have to be undertaken to validate these results and investigate the mechanisms relating diet to the development of disease.