Which Teas Treat Uterine Fibroids?

Uterine fibroids are benign tumors that develop in the uterus. For most women, fibroid symptoms go unnoticed but for some, these growths can be very painful, cause heavy menstrual bleeding and debilitating pelvic pressure, says MayoClinic.com. The only curable treatment for fibroids right now is to have a hysterectomy but there is some evidence that herbal teas can help alleviate some of the symptoms and shrink the fibroids to a manageable size.

Tea steeping in a glass tea cup. (Image: Elenathewise/iStock/Getty Images)

Green Tea

Green tea comes from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant and can be found in Asia and Africa, as well as parts of the Middle East. Green tea leaves contain powerful antioxidants known as polyphenols that have been used for centuries in Chinese and Indian medicine. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, green tea can help heal wounds, control bleeding, improve heart health, regulate body temperature, balance blood sugar and promote digestion. Most recently, green tea has also been proven to be very helpful in treating uterine fibroids. In a study published in the January 2010 issue of the "American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology," Dong Zhang MD and colleagues concluded that green tea extract can effectively treat unterine fibroids. The study showed that 1.25 mg of epigallocatechin gallate, a polyphenol found in green tea, mixed in water can kill fibroid lesions in lab animals. Green tea extract has also been shown to kill human fibroids in experimental tissue cultures, states the director of clinical research at Meharry Medical College in Nashville Dr. Ayman Al-Hendy.

Burdock Root Tea

Burdock is actually a weed that grows throughout the United States, Europe and Northern Asia. The part of the weed that is used medicinally is the root and is often found in the form of tea. Burdock root, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center, is often used as a blood purifier, a diuretic and a topical solution for skin conditions such as eczema and acne. Since burdock root contains purifying and anti-inflammatory properties, it is also used to help treat fibroids. Fibroidsetc.com reports that burdock root can detoxify excess estrogen that may be causing the fibroid's growth, reduce the swelling that could be causing the pain, and because burdock root is high in arctigenin can shrink the size of the fibroids as well as inhibit new tumor growths.

Chasteberry Tea

The chasteberry tree, or vitex agnus castus, is native to southern Europe and to the Mediterranean area. The leaves, flowers and berries of the chasteberry tree, most frequently found in the forms of tinctures or teas, have all been used medicinally and is often referred to as a "hormone balancer," states the website ALTMD. In fact, in a double-blind, placebo controlled study done in Germany at the Institute for Health Care and Science found that over 52 percent of the participants that used chasteberry reported significant improvements in their menstrual symptoms. They all experienced less bloating, no or low grade headaches and less irritability. Due to chasteberry's antibacterial, anti-fungal, and anti-inflammatory properties, it has also been shown to help treat fibroids. According to the website, Uterine Fibroid Tumors, chasteberry tea can stop heavy menstrual bleeding that accompanies large fibroids and has the ability to shrink the tumors.