Epigallocatechin gallate in combination with Vitamin D3 and Vitamin B6 as a promising alternative in uterine fibroids management

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Recent findings showed the beneficial action of epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) and vitamin D3 (Vit D3) in the treatment of uterine fibroids (UF). Therefore, we aimed at evaluating the efficacy of the combined supplementation of EGCG with vitamins (Vit) D3 and B6 on the reduction of volume and blood loss related to UF. PATIENTS AND METHODS: 19 women (mean age 44.9 ± 7.5), with at least one UF, were treated for 4 months with one tablet of 25 µg of Vit D3, 150 mg of EGCG and 5 mg of Vit B6, via oral route, twice a day. Volume, number of UFs as well as blood loss were evaluated. RESULTS: All the patients experienced a significant decrease in UF volume (1.62 ± 0.27 cm3 at baseline vs. 1.09 ± 0.20 cm3 at the end of treatment; p < 0.0001) with an average reduction of 32.2%. In one patient, a small UF (0.05 cm3) fully disappeared after 4 months of treatment. A significant reduction in blood loss (63% heavy bleeding and 37% normal bleeding at T0 vs. 5% heavy and 95% normal bleeding at T1; p < 0.0001) was reported by patients at the end of the study. CONCLUSIONS: Supplementation with EGCG, Vit D3, and Vit B6 reduced the size of UFs and the abnormal heavy bleeding. Therefore, this novel combination could be an alternative approach to “wait and see” for UF reduction and the correlated symptoms.

Keywords

• uterine fibroids
• leiomyoma
• vitamin d
• epigallocatechin gallate
• egcg
• menorrhagia