Can Endometriosis Cause Weight Loss?

Can Endometriosis Cause Weight Loss?

At a Glance

• Many studies have established a link between lower body mass index (BMI) in women with endometriosis compared to women without the disease.
• Low BMI is significantly associated with disease severity among endometriosis patients.
• Women with endometriosis tend to be taller and thinner.
• Endometriosis causes weight loss because it alters metabolism.

What is Endometriosis?

Endometriosis is a reproductive disorder that affects more than 6.5 million women in the United States alone. ((US Department of Health and Human Services – Office on Women’s Health – Endometriosis)) When a woman has endometriosis, tissue similar to that lining the uterus grows outside of the womb. It often attaches to nearby organs such as the ovaries, fallopian tubes, bowels, or bladder. ((US National Institutes of Health – Medline Plus – Endometriosis)) Symptoms include pelvic pain associated with menstruation, lower back pain, abdominal pain, and excessive bleeding. ((Mayo Clinic – Endometriosis Symptoms and Causes))

Endometriosis Lower BMI Connection

Many studies have established a link between lower body mass index (BMI) in women with endometriosis compared to women without the disease. But the link is not clearly understood. Most studies seem to suggest that low body weight somehow causes endometriosis rather than endometriosis, causing weight loss.

One study, in particular, found that women diagnosed with endometriosis were taller, thinner, and had a significantly lower BMI suggesting there being an in utero or early childhood origin for endometriosis. ((Hediger M, Hartnett H, Louis G. Association of endometriosis with body size and figure. Fertil Steril 2005; 84 (5): 1366-1374))

Another study reported that BMI was significantly associated with disease severity among endometriosis patients concluding that women with advanced-stage endometriosis had lower BMIs than those with minimal or mild disease. ((Yi KW, Shin JH, Park MS, Kim T, Kim SH, Hur JY. Association of body mass index with severity of endometriosis in Korean women. Int J Gynaecol Obstet. 2009;105:39–42.))

Study Points to Endometriosis Causing Weight Loss

One study pointed to endometriosis possibly causing weight loss.

A study published in the peer-reviewed journal Biology of Reproduction suggested that endometriosis causes reduced body weight and body fat because the condition disrupts the expression of liver genes suggesting that altered metabolism mediated by the liver contributes to the clinically observed low BMI that is characteristic of women with endometriosis. ((Goetz L, Mammilapalli R, Taylor H. Low Body Mass Index in Endometriosis Is Promoted by Hepatic Metabolic Gene Dysregulation in Mice. Biol Reprod 2016; 95 (6): 115))