Fibroids: Spot, Understand, & Manage Unwanted Growth
Most gynecologists treat fibroids by monitoring them, prescribing birth control, or recommending surgery if symptoms become severe—such as pressure on the bladder or bowel, repeated miscarriages, or rapid growth. However, fibroids are not random tissue overgrowths nor simply caused by “too much estrogen.” Reducing fibroids to a surgery-or-pill problem leaves many women trapped in cycles of recurrence and frustration.
Common online protocols include DIM, progesterone creams, detox teas, or “hormone balancing” supplements. While these may offer temporary relief, they often fail long-term because they don’t address the root causes.
Fibroid Symptoms: More Than Just Growth
Fibroids can be accompanied by:
Heavy bleeding or irregular periods
Pelvic pain
Anemia and fatigue
Infertility challenges
Mood disturbances
Even if a fibroid is removed surgically, the underlying terrain that allowed it to grow remains, meaning
recurrence is likely unless the body’s hormonal and metabolic balance is restored.
The Estrogen Pathways: Good, Bad, and Ugly
Estrogen metabolism is key to understanding fibroids:
2-OH pathway: Good
4-OH pathway: Bad
16-OH pathway: Ugly — most estrogenic, promotes fibroid growth
How Estrogen Is Processed
The liver modifies estrogen via phase I and phase II detoxification, producing metabolites excreted through bile or urine.
Glucuronidation binds estrogen to glucuronic acid, making it water-soluble for elimination.
The Gut Connection: Beta-Glucuronidase
Certain gut bacteria produce beta-glucuronidase, which can “unpack” conjugated estrogen and allow it to be reabsorbed instead of eliminated. This process—enterohepatic recirculation—can increase estrogen exposure and contribute to fibroid growth.
The collection of gut microbes influencing estrogen metabolism is called the estrobolome. A healthy estrobolome maintains balanced estrogen levels, but bacterial overgrowth (often due to dysbiosis or SIBO) can increase beta-glucuronidase activity, driving estrogen dominance.
Why Beta-Glucuronidase Can Go Wrong
Beta-glucuronidase isn’t inherently harmful—it helps recycle hormones, vitamins (A and D), and polyphenols like quercetin, resveratrol, curcumin, and EGCG. However, certain factors push it out of balance:
Xenoestrogens: Chemicals in pesticides, herbicides, and tap water mimic estrogen, increasing estrogen load and promoting bacterial overgrowth.
Poor bile flow: Bile regulates intestinal bacteria; reduced flow can worsen SIBO and estrogen recirculation.
Yeast overgrowth: Yeast slows gut transit time, giving bacteria more opportunity to deconjugate estrogen. Dietary management and antifungal herbs can help correct this imbalance.
Major Root Causes of Fibroids
Fibroids are not random—they are signals of systemic imbalance. Major contributing factors include:
Estrogen dominance
Xenoestrogen exposure
Poor bile flow
SIBO and dysbiosis
Yeast overgrowth
When the system is imbalanced, consequences extend beyond fibroids to include PMS, heavy or painful periods, endometriosis, mood swings, and increased risk for estrogen-sensitive cancers over time.
In Frequency Medicine, fibroids are not merely suppressed or removed—they are investigated at the root cause level. By understanding why the body created fibroids and what it was trying to protect, we can restore hormonal balance, gut health, and metabolic function, reducing recurrence and supporting long-term reproductive health.