As many as 75 percent of all women over the age of 45 have uterine fibroids, according to the Merck Manual, yet the exact reason fibroids develop remains a matter of debate among scientists and health care professionals. You might not even be aware of the presence of small fibroids, but large or inconveniently located ones can cause symptoms that require medical treatment.
Basics
Uterine fibroids are benign masses that grow in or around the uterus. They are non-cancerous, and do not spread to other parts of your body so unless they grow to large sizes or cause troubling symptoms they don't necessarily require treatment. Not all uterine fibroids are the same. Submucosal fibroids grow just under the inside the wall of the uterus and bulge into its cavity; intramural fibroids grow within the wall of the uterus; subserous fibroids grow on the outside wall; and pendunculated fibroids grow either inside or outside the uterus, attached by a stalk or stem.
Factors
Because fibroids shrink after menopause and because pregnancy can spur the growth of fibroids, scientists think that varying levels of progesterone and estrogen determine whether fibroids develop or shrink. Who gets fibroids and why remains unclear. Boston-based researchers concluded that in African-American women, alcohol consumption and the incidence of fibroids had a link, as detailed in "Human Reproduction." Both cigarettes and caffeine consumption were included in the tests, but scientists concluded that neither influenced fibroid development overall. For women under 35, though, caffeine was associated with higher incidence rates.
Blood Flow
Caffeine is a vasoconstrictor, meaning that when you drink a caffeinated beverage, or ingest caffeine in any other form, your blood vessels temporarily narrow. Fibroids depend on a ready supply of blood, and sometimes pendunculated fibroids twist around on their stalks, cutting off blood flow. Fibroids that grow very large can also outgrow their blood supply, and cramping and pain can result. Along with other factors, caffeine consumption can temporarily restrict blood flow to extremities and other organs, but scientists have not proven a link between caffeine consumption and cramping and pain from fibroids.
Other Considerations
If you feel anxious or jittery when you drink caffeine, cut back on the amount you consume, as some people are more sensitive to the drug's effects than others. You might associate the discomfort that your fibroids cause with ingesting caffeine because caffeine is a mild diuretic, which makes you urinate more. Large fibroids can make urinary urgency and pain a problem. If you have fibroids and experience heavy menstrual periods and feel fatigued as a result, or if you have problems urinating or just feel uncomfortable, talk with your gynecologist or physician about both surgical and non-surgical options available to treat your fibroids.
References
- "Human Reproduction"; Risk of Uterine Leiomyomata in relation to Tobacco, Alcohol and Caffeine Consumption in the Black Women's Health Study; Lauren A. Wise, et al.; August 2004
- Merck Manuals: Fibroids
- MayoClinic.com; Uterine Fibroids; June 2011
- DailyMailOnline.com; Is Coffee your Friend or Foe?; Naomi Coleman
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