Patient guide
Can fibroid growth be stopped? What diet, exercise, sleep and stress can and cannot do
Can diet, exercise, sleep or stress management stop a fibroid from growing? What research really shows, simple habits that help your health, what to avoid, and why scans still matter.
Can fibroid growth be stopped? The honest answer
No. Nothing you eat, drink or do has been shown to stop a fibroid from growing. What studies do show is that fibroids are hard to predict.
In one study, doctors measured 262 fibroids in 72 women using repeat MRI scans over a year. A typical fibroid grew about 9% every six months. But some fibroids grew a lot, and some shrank by almost 90%. About 7% shrank by more than a fifth. Fibroids in the same woman grew at different speeds. A big fibroid was not more likely to grow faster. And body weight, number of children and where the fibroid sat did not change how fast they grew [1].
Two things follow. If your fibroid stays the same or shrinks, that is not necessarily because of something you did. And if it grows, it is not your fault. Healthy habits support your general health and may lower the chance of getting new fibroids. Scans and your doctor's checks are what show what your fibroids are actually doing.
What studies link to fibroids
Most of this comes from studies that follow large groups of women. They can show a link between a habit and fibroids. They cannot prove that changing a habit will change a fibroid you already have. Use this as a guide to healthy habits, not as a treatment.
| Habit | What studies found | How strong is the evidence? |
|---|---|---|
| Fruit and vegetables | In a US study of about 22,600 women, those who ate more fruit and vegetables got fewer new fibroids [2]. In an Italian study, women who ate more green vegetables were about half as likely to have fibroids [3]. | A link seen in groups of women |
| Red meat and ham | In the Italian study, women who ate more beef or other red meat were about 1.7 times as likely to have fibroids, and those who ate more ham about 1.3 times [3]. | One study |
| Dairy | In the US study, women who had 2 or more servings of dairy a day were diagnosed with fibroids about 20% less often than those who had less than 1 a week. Soy made no difference [4]. | A link seen in groups of women |
| Alcohol | Women who drank alcohol, especially beer, had more fibroids. Smoking and caffeine made no overall difference [5]. | A link seen in groups of women |
| Exercise | The most active women (about 7 hours or more a week) were about 40% less likely to have fibroids than those who exercised less than 2 hours. The link was stronger for new fibroids than for growth of existing ones [6]. | A link seen in groups of women |
| Body weight | A combined look at 22 studies found that obesity went with a higher chance of fibroids (about 1.2 times as likely) [7]. But in the MRI study, weight did not change how fast existing fibroids grew [1]. | A link seen in groups of women |
| Long-term stress | Women with the most long-term stress were about 1.2 times as likely to have fibroids as those with the least. The link was small [8]. | A small link only |
| Vitamin D | In a trial of 69 women with fibroids who were low in vitamin D, fibroids got smaller after 10 weeks of vitamin D tablets, compared with dummy tablets [9]. | A small, short trial. It needs repeating. |
| Sleep | We could not find a reliable study showing that sleep changes fibroid growth. | Not known |
A sensible daily routine
None of these will stop a fibroid on its own. They are low-risk habits that fit the research and support your general health, hormones and energy.
- Food: fill your plate with vegetables, especially green leafy ones, and fruit. Keep red meat and ham to small amounts [2, 3].
- Dairy: nothing says you must give it up. Normal amounts are fine [4].
- Alcohol: drink little or none. Beer showed the clearest link [5].
- Exercise: move on most days. The most active women had fewer fibroids. But no study shows that exercise shrinks a fibroid [6].
- Weight: if you are overweight, losing weight slowly is sensible for your health and is linked to fewer fibroids [7]. Avoid crash diets.
- Vitamin D: get a blood test first. If you are low, take it as your doctor advises. Do not take large doses on your own [9].
- Stress and sleep: long-term stress is linked to more fibroids [8]. Good sleep helps your hormones, weight and mood. It has not been shown to affect fibroids directly.
What to avoid
These are worth staying away from, mainly because they delay proper care or add risk.
- Herbal powders, teas and supplements sold online to "shrink fibroids". None has been shown to work, and what is in them is not checked.
- Starting hormone pills on your own to stop bleeding or delay a period. Pills with estrogen raise the chance of blood clots and stroke, and high-dose progestin tablets can too. A doctor should check you first. Read our guide on hormonal pills and clot risk.
- Skipping scans because you feel fine. Fibroids can grow without causing symptoms at first.
- Putting up with very heavy periods. They can leave you anaemic and tired, and they can be treated.
- Waiting too long to see a doctor when symptoms affect your work, sleep or plans for a baby.
Scans and check-ups: what to do
A pelvic ultrasound shows how many fibroids you have and how big they are. An MRI shows more detail and helps tell fibroids from adenomyosis, a similar condition. Your doctor decides how often to repeat scans. This depends on your symptoms, the size of your fibroids, your age and whether you want a baby.
See a doctor sooner if you notice any of these:
- Periods so heavy that you change pads every hour or two, pass large clots, or bleed for many days
- Tiredness, dizziness, a racing heart or breathlessness (signs of anaemia)
- A growing or bulky lower belly, or new pressure in your pelvis
- Passing urine very often, trouble emptying your bladder, or constipation
- Sudden or severe pain in your lower belly
- Any bleeding after menopause, or a fibroid that seems to be growing fast
- Trouble getting pregnant, or pregnancy losses
If your fibroid is growing or causing problems: what actually helps
When fibroids are causing problems, medicines and procedures help. Lifestyle changes do not.
Hormone medicines can control heavy bleeding. In two large trials, a tablet called elagolix (taken with small amounts of hormones added back) brought heavy bleeding under control in about 7 out of 10 women (68.5% and 76.5%), compared with about 1 in 10 women on dummy tablets [10]. Another tablet, relugolix with added hormones, worked for about 7 out of 10 women (73% and 71%), compared with about 1 in 6 on dummy tablets [11]. These medicines are used for limited periods, they have side effects, and you need safety checks before starting them.
UFE (uterine fibroid embolization) blocks the blood flow to the fibroids through a tiny puncture. The fibroids shrink, symptoms ease, and your uterus is kept [12]. It suits many women, but not every fibroid pattern or every wish to get pregnant. Which option is right for you depends on your scans, your age, your symptoms and your plans. That is why an assessment comes first.
Frequently asked questions
- Can diet alone shrink or stop a fibroid?
- No. No diet has been shown to stop or shrink a fibroid you already have. Some foods, like fruit and vegetables, are linked to a lower chance of getting fibroids [2, 3], but that is a link seen in large groups of women. It is not a treatment.
- Do fibroids always keep growing?
- No. In one MRI study, a typical fibroid grew about 9% over six months. But about 7% of fibroids shrank by more than a fifth, and the range was very wide. Fibroids in the same woman grew at different speeds [1].
- Does exercise help fibroids?
- Women who exercised the most had fewer fibroids. The link was stronger for new fibroids than for growth of existing ones [6]. Exercise is good for your health, but it has not been shown to shrink a fibroid.
- Is vitamin D good for fibroids?
- One small trial found that vitamin D made fibroids smaller in women who were low in it [9]. It needs larger trials. Get your level checked, and take vitamin D as your doctor advises, not in large doses on your own.
- How often should I get a scan?
- Your doctor decides, based on your symptoms, the size of your fibroids and your age. See a doctor sooner if your bleeding gets heavier, you feel tired or breathless, or you notice new pressure or fast growth.
- Are hormone pills a safe way to stop fibroid bleeding?
- They can work, but they are not risk-free. Pills with estrogen, and high-dose progestin tablets, can raise the chance of blood clots. A doctor should check you first and keep an eye on you. See our guide on hormonal pills and clot risk.
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References
- Peddada SD, et al. Growth of uterine leiomyomata among premenopausal black and white women. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2008;105:19887-19892. Read the source
- Wise LA, et al. Intake of fruit, vegetables, and carotenoids in relation to risk of uterine leiomyomata. Am J Clin Nutr. 2011;94:1620-1631. Read the source
- Chiaffarino F, et al. Diet and uterine myomas. Obstet Gynecol. 1999;94:395-398. Read the source
- Wise LA, et al. A prospective study of dairy intake and risk of uterine leiomyomata. Am J Epidemiol. 2010;171:221-232. Read the source
- Wise LA, et al. Risk of uterine leiomyomata in relation to tobacco, alcohol and caffeine consumption in the Black Women's Health Study. Hum Reprod. 2004;19:1746-1754. Read the source
- Baird DD, et al. Association of physical activity with development of uterine leiomyoma. Am J Epidemiol. 2007;165:157-163. Read the source
- Qin H, et al. Association between obesity and the risk of uterine fibroids: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Epidemiol Community Health. 2021;75:197-204. Read the source
- Qin H, et al. The association between chronic psychological stress and uterine fibroids risk: a meta-analysis of observational studies. Stress Health. 2019;35:585-594. Read the source
- Hajhashemi M, et al. The effect of vitamin D supplementation on the size of uterine leiomyoma in women with vitamin D deficiency. Caspian J Intern Med. 2019;10:125-131. Read the source
- Schlaff WD, et al. Elagolix for heavy menstrual bleeding in women with uterine fibroids. N Engl J Med. 2020;382:328-340. Read the source
- Al-Hendy A, et al. Treatment of uterine fibroid symptoms with relugolix combination therapy. N Engl J Med. 2021;384:630-642. Read the source
- Society of Interventional Radiology. Uterine fibroids: patient information. Read the source
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