CAN ENDOMETRIOSIS CAUSE WEIGHT GAIN?

Although weight gain is not a direct symptom of endometriosis, it may result from medications, hysterectomy, and hormonal imbalance linked with the condition in one way or another.

Endometriosis is a reproductive condition in which the endometrial lining of the uterus grows on the outside and attaches to the linings of the ovary, uterus, and fallopian tube. One may struggle with the condition for long, but many manage it using hysterectomy, in which the reproductive parts like the ovaries and uterus are cut. Bloating, infertility, and painful periods are the direct symptoms of the condition that many sufferers deal with. Although weight gain is not a direct symptom of endometriosis, studies show that it is linked with medications or hysterectomy performed to manage the condition but could also come from hormonal imbalance. Meanwhile, people keep embracing CBD for its medical claims, but insufficient evidence supports that it can cure endometriosis. Here is all you need to know about CBD, endometriosis, and weight gain.

CBD Basics

Are you considering using CBD for the many health benefits linked to it? You must know basic facts about it. For instance, what is CBD, and why do many people find it appealing, as seen in its increased demand? According to Mascal et al. (2019) and Kicman & Toczek (2020), CBD is a non-psychoactive cannabinoid extracted from hemp plants. These plants have many active compounds, and CBD is one of them. According to Watt & Karl (2017), CBD is therapeutic, and many users want to tap into this therapy, making the cannabinoid even more popular.

Can CBD Treat or Cure Endometriosis?

The therapeutic nature of CBD is the talk of the day, and every user wants to tap into it. Meanwhile, OASH reports that more than 7 million women have endometriosis, but the number is likely higher. Can you take CBD to cure or treat endometriosis? It is worth noting that the condition results in overgrowing uterine cells, and there is certainly nothing that CBD can do to help the situation. However, research suggests that the cannabinoid might help manage the symptoms of the condition. For instance, Manusirivithaya & Manusirivithaya (2018) found that CBD could reduce menstrual cramps, which worsen in the case of endometriosis. Still, this does not mean CBD is any form of medication for this condition.

CBD Forms and Products

Like many fans, you may want to try CBD products. CBD comes in different products, including tinctures, edibles, capsules, vapes, and topicals, and different formulations, including isolate, full- and broad-spectrum CBD. You must know that none of the forms and products is better than the other. Rather, they allow users to have many options from which to choose and get products that meet their needs. People who want CBD with extra cannabis compounds go for broad- or full-spectrum CBD, while those who need it plain go for CBD isolates. CBD tinctures and vapes are the fates in delivering results, while edibles are good at masking the CBD bitterness you feel in oils. Ultimately, you must choose the CBD form and product you want to settle for.

Endometriosis and Weight Gain

This article looks at the relationship between endometriosis and weight gain; can this condition make a woman put on more weight? Most people suffering from endometriosis report painful periods, infertility, bloating, and breast tenderness. Thus, you might not put on much weight because of endometriosis, but studies reveal that the medication and treatments used to manage the condition may result in weight gain. Besides, the condition is often coupled with hormonal imbalance, another cause of weight gain, as the next section shows.

How Hormonal Imbalance Affects Weight

According to Chantalat et al. (2020), hormonal imbalance causes weight gain, and such an imbalance results from endometriosis. The study shows that estrogen levels go higher during menses than progesterone in the female body. The immediate signs of hormonal imbalance include breast tenderness, infertility, and painful periods, yet there are related symptoms too. Weight gain does not show up immediately; your hormones are imbalanced because of endometriosis, but it does eventually.

Medication and Weight

People with endometriosis take birth control pills like IUD and may also have a vaginal ring. Others also opt for oral contraceptives that one takes once a month or each day of the month. Meanwhile, you need to know what happens to the endometrial lining for people with this condition. During the monthly periods, the endometrial lining grows fast and thickens; how about the other body parts? The breast appears tender, and the periods are more painful. According to the National Library of Medicine, oral contraceptives might lead to weight gain. As with hormonal imbalance, it is not a direct effect of endometriosis but is quite related to it.

Hysterectomy and Weight

Hysterectomy is yet another thing in endometriosis that can lead to weight gain. It is the surgical treatment for endometriosis and involves the removal of the uterus and cervix. If the ovaries are not removed, the uterine walls keep thickening during menses, and the periods may be painful. Thus, hysterectomy may involve the removal of ovaries. When the ovaries are removed, one enters menopause, regardless of age. Related signs of this stage of womanhood include the inability to have periods or become pregnant, and weight gain, hot flashes, and slow metabolism are more than common.

Managing Weight Gain with Endometriosis

Do you have endometriosis? Hugs; this is a difficult condition to live with, and the thought of never having babies is discouraging, and managing the menstrual cramps is not easy. However, you can do a few things to arrest the situation when it comes to weight gain with endometriosis. For the most part, you need to exercise. According to a Mayo Clinic report, exercise keeps you in shape and may balance hormones. Besides, the more you are fit, the more you have your weight in control. You can also watch your diet and focus on healthy foods with fibers and avoiding junk processed foods that add to your sugar count and make weight gain riskier. Joining a group of people with the same situation and goals make the efforts rewarding since you have the motivation it takes to keep moving.

Conclusion

Endometriosis is a condition in which the uterine lining and walls grow outside the uterus and focus on the ovaries and fallopian tube. During menses, the walls thicken and break down, leading to breast tenderness and infertility. Although endometriosis does not directly result in weight gain, people living with it may put on some weight. Studies show that the condition may result in hormonal imbalance, causing weight gain, and that hysterectomy and other medications used to manage the condition may have weight effects. You can trim your diet, exercise, and join a group of people with the same condition to manage endometrial weight gain, as this article shows.

References

Chantalat, E., Valera, M. C., Vaysse, C., Noirrit, E., Rusidze, M., Weyl, A., Vergriete, K., Buscail, E., Lluel, P., Fontaine, C., Arnal, J. F., & Lenfant, F. (2020). Estrogen Receptors and Endometriosis. International journal of molecular sciences, 21(8), 2815.

Kicman, A., & Toczek, M. (2020). The effects of cannabidiol, a non-intoxicating compound of cannabis, on the cardiovascular system in health and disease. International journal of molecular sciences, 21(18), 6740.

Manusirivithaya, S., & Manusirivithaya, V. (2018). Cannabis (Gan-ja): Relevant Issues in Obstetrics and Gynecology. Thai Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, 206-216.

Mascal, M., Hafezi, N., Wang, D., Hu, Y., Serra, G., Dallas, M. L., & Spencer, J. P. (2019). Synthetic, non-intoxicating 8, 9-dihydrocannabidiol for the mitigation of seizures. Scientific reports, 9(1), 1-6.

Mayo Clinic. Healthy Lifestyle- Stress Management. Get Moving to Manage Stress. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/exercise-and-stress/art-20044469

National Library of Medicine. Contraception: Overview. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK279452/

OASH. https://www.womenshealth.gov/a-z-topics/endometriosis

Watt, G., & Karl, T. (2017). In vivo evidence for therapeutic properties of cannabidiol (CBD) for Alzheimer's disease. Frontiers in pharmacology, 8, 20.