Flavonoids are a group of nutrients contained in some plant foods such as onion, garlic, apple or grapes, among others, and to which numerous health benefits are attributed. Now, new research has found a link between these compounds and a decrease in endometriosis symptoms. The results have been published in Endocrinology.
The study has been carried out by researchers from the School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (VMBS) at Texas A&M University who have explained how flavonoids have the ability to eliminate the symptoms of some inflammatory diseases, such as endometriosis, a condition that It occurs when cells similar to those in the lining of the uterus grow in other areas of the body and cause inflammation and pain, and it affects millions of women around the world.
“Scientists have long known that people who eat more fruits and vegetables tend to live longer and have a lower risk of many types of diseases, including Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s,” says Dr. Stephen Safe, professor in the Department of Veterinary Physiology. and Pharmacology from VMBS. “We were able to show that there is a strong connection between flavonoids and endometriosis,” he adds. “By eating more foods containing flavonoids, people are more likely to reduce their chances of developing endometriosis or reduce the severity of their symptoms.”
Quercetin and Kaempferol help treat endometriosis
Safe has worked on developing new cancer drugs that target specific receptors, which are proteins that allow cells to send and receive messages. Flavonoids act similarly to some of the pharmacological treatments that her laboratory has developed to treat diseases such as endometriosis.
“We observed more than 20 flavonoids and many of them showed an interaction with NR4A1 and NR4A2, which are two of the receptors we studied,” explained the scientist. “Both receptors participate in the regulation of inflammation, which is why we use them to treat endometriosis.”
The two flavonoids that showed the greatest influence on NR4A1 and NR4A2 were quercetin and kaempferol, which are typically found in apples, broccoli, berries such as blueberries and raspberries, tea, onions, and red wine. We now know that these are the flavonoids that are most likely to help treat the symptoms of endometriosis, Safe said.
The most useful flavonoids for fighting endometriosis are found in broccoli, berries such as blueberries and raspberries, tea, onions, and red wine.
Although these findings are promising for developing new therapeutic alternatives for endometriosis, Safe cautioned that more research is needed on flavonoids before adding them to patient care recommendations. “We are not yet at the point of prescribing flavonoids to treat endometriosis,” she points out. “What we know now is that there is a connection between flavonoids and cellular receptors that govern inflammation.”
Until scientists have more information about this connection, the best way to benefit from flavonoids appears to be to eat more foods that contain them. “For now, it’s best to incorporate foods with flavonoids into your regular diet rather than taking a supplement every once in a while,” he concludes.
