In this episode, we delve into a recent study published Dietary Modification and Supplement Use For Endometriosis Pain (March 2025) that investigates the role of dietary modifications and supplement use in managing endometriosis-related pain. The research, conducted by a team from the University of Edinburgh and University College Cork, explores how certain dietary patterns and supplements may influence pain levels in individuals with endometriosis.

Strengths

• Comprehensive Approach: The study examines both dietary changes and supplement use, providing a holistic view of non-pharmacological interventions for endometriosis pain.
• Collaborative Research: The involvement of multiple institutions enhances the study’s credibility and depth of analysis.
• Open Access Publication: Being published in an open-access journal ensures that the findings are readily available to the public, healthcare professionals, and researchers.
• Large Sample Size: The study surveyed 2,388 women with confirmed endometriosis, providing a substantial dataset for analysis.
• High Engagement: A significant majority of participants (84%) reported making dietary changes, with 67% noting pain improvement. Additionally, 59% used supplements, and 43% found them beneficial.
• Identification of Specific Interventions: The study pinpointed particular dietary modifications and supplements associated with pain relief, such as:
  • Reducing alcohol (53% reported improvement)
  • Limiting gluten and dairy (45% each)
  • Decreasing caffeine intake (43%)
  • Adopting a low FODMAP diet (32%)
  • Following a Mediterranean diet (29%)

• Relevance to Complementary Therapies: The study sheds light on non-pharmacological approaches that many women with endometriosis are exploring to manage their symptoms.

Limitations

1. Observational Design: As an observational study, it cannot establish causality between dietary changes or supplement use and pain reduction.
2. Self-Reported Data: The reliance on participants’ recollection of dietary changes and pain levels introduces potential recall bias, affecting data accuracy.
3. Lack of Control Group: Without a control group, it’s challenging to determine whether observed improvements are due to the interventions or other factors.
4. Variability in Interventions: The study did not standardize the types or amounts of dietary changes and supplements, making it difficult to assess specific effects.
5. Potential Placebo Effect: Participants’ expectations and beliefs about the efficacy of dietary changes and supplements might have influenced their perception of pain relief.

Join us as we discuss the implications of this study for those living with endometriosis and consider how diet and supplements might play a role in pain management strategies.

As always, we'd love to hear from you. Send us a DM on Instagram or email at hello@hormonehealthstudio.com.

Samantha Payne founded The Pink Elephant Support Network 9 years ago, on the back of her own personal experience with pregnancy loss. We are excited to chat to Sam today about her tenacity for change and her passion for driving awareness and support for women, couples, and individuals who experience early pregnancy loss in Australia.

Sam shares: "if one of my children in 20 years time had to face the journey of miscarriage, it better bloody be different to what it is now".

Pink Elephant's is a platform that offers tiered support for your individual needs at a time of loss. Something Chloe personally found helpful on her journey. If you, too, have experienced pregnancy loss, you may find these links useful:

• Your Support Journey
• Help a Loved One
• How to Get Involved and Raise Awareness

The Pink Elephants also share some incredible resources on their instagram @pinkelephantssupport page or you can find their Podcast, The Miscarriage Rebellion here.

As always, we'd love to hear from you. Send us a DM on Instagram or email at hello@hormonehealthstudio.com.

Husky, sniffly voices from Chloe and Georgia in their timely episode covering all things sickness, in particular Winter viruses.

Some topics covered in this episode include:

• Why do we get more sick in Winter?
• Factors that increase your risk of sickness (such as super common nutritional deficiencies)
• Fever - should you let it run it's course?
• Our favourite Naturopathic herbs and supplements to use when we're sick
• Also, have you ever heard of leisure sickness? Also known as Holiday Sickness Syndrome. In this episode, we explore why some people get sick just as they start to unwind—and what you can do to avoid it.

Resources

Sleep and our immunity

• Reduced sleep, particularly shorter than 7–9 hours, is associated with increased URTIs. Strategies improving sleep should be explored to prevent URTIs. PMID: 33997896

Nasal saline spray and reducing viral symptom duration:

• Study protocol of the Edinburgh and Lothian Virus Intervention Study in Kids: a randomised controlled trial of hypertonic saline nose drops in children with upper respiratory tract infections (ELVIS Kids). PMID: 33952557
• Nasal sprays and behavioural interventions compared with usual care for acute respiratory illness in primary care: a randomised, controlled, open-label, parallel-group trial. Lancet ISSN: 2213-2600

Thanks for listening!

As always, you can find more information about our team on Instagram at @hormonehealthstudio or if you would like to reach out to us, you can email hello@hormonehealthstudio.com.