9 Best Supplements for Endometriosis Symptom Relief

As an endowarrior, you might find yourself getting lost on the never-ending journey to find relief. If you’re struggling with endo-related symptoms, natural supplements for endometriosis can be a helpful missing part of your regimen. Incorporating the best supplements for endometriosis can be part of a well-rounded, holistic health strategy for your endo care. This approach focuses on your nutrition and taking care of your body by getting enough sleep, physical activity, and implementing stress management solutions. 

Every endowarrior’s body is different, and not every supplement will be right for you. (Always consult with your healthcare provider first before taking any new supplements.) Also, it’s important to know that supplements, even natural supplements for endometriosis, may not bring improvement without first focusing on your overall health and well-being. I want to make it clear that even the best supplements for endometriosis, fatigue, inflammation, pain, and other symptoms won’t do much without a healthy foundation. Unfortunately, you can’t out-supplement a poor diet or habits! 

With that endobabes, I present you with my ultimate list of the best supplements for endometriosis!  

My Go-to Natural Supplements for Endometriosis

When you embrace a holistic health strategy and integrate targeted supplements, you can aim to improve your quality of life, support fertility, and reduce pain, among other benefits.  

Here’s my list of top supplements to incorporate into your nutrition plan for endo:  

Alpha-Lipoic Acid (ALA) 

Alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) is a caprylic acid-derived antioxidant that endowarriors should take note of! This stand-alone supplement has been shown to reduce pelvic pain and improve sexual function and overall quality of life in endo patients. ALA treatment reduces cellular adhesion and invasion due to a lower expression of adhesion molecules and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) activity. Ultimately, this promotes a reduction in inflammation.   

Berberine 

If you’ve never heard of berberine, it deserves to have its moment! This is a naturally occurring organic compound found in Oregon grapes, tree turmeric, and barberry. Berberine is known to be a natural antibiotic so it can affect your gut and digestion—always consult with your provider if you’re interested in trying it. 

This supplement has been shown to neutralize the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) toxin (which is linked to endometriosis and adenomyosis.) It can also reduce blood glucose, block the production of several proinflammatory immune cells, and help with hydrogen-dominant SIBO. If you’re looking for supplements for endometriosis fertility, berberine can help improve fertility outcomes and endometrial receptivity (most studies have been shown in PCOS patients). 

Curcumin 

Curcumin is the active ingredient in turmeric—a bright yellow spice from the turmeric plant common in India. Curcumin benefits endometriosis-related symptoms with its anti-inflammatory properties and hormone-regulating abilities. It may also promote a healthy immune system.  

Curcumin has also been shown to downregulate vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), which is implicated in spreading endometriotial-like cells. It has also been shown to reduce Ca-125 in the blood. This blood marker is often elevated in endo sufferers with deep infiltrating endometriosis (DIE) or more severe stages of endometriosis with cysts. 

Ginger 

We all know and love ginger root, a powerhouse supplement (or food) with multiple endo-specific benefits. Ginger is a pro-kinetic that helps improve bowel regularity (ie. helps with constipation) as well as reduces inflammatory bacteria in the gut. This potent anti-inflammatory also promotes blood flow to where it’s needed in the body.  

Ginger helps feed many good gut bacteria and is a motility agent that keeps your bowels moving. This helps prevent unwanted reabsorption of toxins and hormones from slow transit time—crucial for those with endo! 

Omega-3 Fatty Acids 

Omega-3s, taken as a supplement or eaten in the form of oily fish are often recommended in endometriosis management to alleviate inflammation and chronic pain symptoms. Use high-EPA fish oil as a potent anti-inflammatory that helps blood flow support. This is a non-negotiable if you don’t consume oily fish!  

Omega-3s from fish oil contain DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid). This combination can reduce the production of molecules and substances linked to inflammation. It’s also a great way to promote healthy immune system function.  

Melatonin 

One of the best supplements for endometriosis fatigue is melatonin, which improves sleep quality while also adding the indirect benefit of reducing endo-related pain. Melatonin has been shown to reduce pain with intercourse, urination, and bowel movements. It works as a motility agent to help speed up transit time and prevent the absorption of toxins and hormones back into the body. Melatonin can also reduce inflammation at the core of our cells - the mitochondria.  

Consult your health care practitioner before use, as melatonin cannot be taken with some anti-depression medications. If you’re trying to conceive, keep in mind that too much melatonin can also hinder ovulation. If you tend to get a sleepy melatonin hangover during the day, you can try herbatonin as an alternative. Herbatonin is 5 times more potentant than glutathione for fighting inflammation, and is a plant-derived melatonin often made from chlorella, rice and alfalfa.   

N-Acetyl Cysteine (NAC) 

Think of NAC as your secret weapon as an endowarrior! NAC is an amino acid derivative as a precursor to glutathione production in the liver, which is one of the body’s most important antioxidants. This supplement has been known to reduce the size of endometriomas—with some participants in the study canceling their endometriosis surgery due to its success. 

NAC can help restore cellular ability to fight damage from oxidative stress, improve cellular detox, and reduce inflammation by helping regulate the gene that produces pro-inflammatory prostaglandins. It also supports phase I and phase II estrogen detoxification and works as a biofilm disruptor, making it helpful during small or large intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO/LIBO) protocols. 

Probiotics  

Our digestive system is full of bacteria that help it properly function and digest our food. It’s essential to support your gut health with probiotics that help to regulate the immune system and reduce inflammation. A probiotic strain called lactobacillus gasseri was shown to improve pelvic pain due to endometriosis. By relieving endometriosis-related symptoms, the overall quality of life in endowarriors was improved with this strain of probiotics.  

Trans-Resveratrol

If you’re looking for one of the top supplements for endometriosis fertility, trans-resveratrol provides mitochondrial support, making it great for women trying to conceive. It helps to block the inflammatory 4OH pathway of estrogen clearance, making it a helpful hormone-balancing supplement too. This supplement works as a potent anti-inflammatory that also helps with blood flow. Lastly, trans-resveratrol supports the gut microbiome, which can reduce inflammation and promote healthy digestion.

It’s important that if you consider resveratrol, that you pick the trans-resveratrol form

Everyone Has a Unique Endometriosis Journey 

It’s important to understand the best supplements for endometriosis and how they work so that you can apply them to your unique journey. No one person will have the same diet, nutrition plan or supplement regimen. Each endowarrior will require a different approach based on their symptoms and lifestyle. You should always talk to your doctor before trying any new supplements.   

If you’re looking for further supplement support, customized nutrition, and lifestyle tips to help better manage your symptoms of endometriosis, I’m here for you! There is no one-size-fits-all approach to endometriosis. As an endometriosis specialized dietitian, I can help tailor the process to you and your needs. Learn more about the Endo Thrive Society, and get ready to take control of your health!