Fibroids are benign (non-cancerous) growths that occur in the muscle that makes up the bulk of the womb. Essentially composed of muscle and fibrous tissue, fibroids can vary in size; while some may be as small as a pea, others can be larger than a grapefruit. Small fibroids may not cause any symptoms at all.

However, the larger they get, the more likely they are to give rise to problems such as heavy periods, bladder symptoms (due to pressure) and backache. Fibroids are believed to grow in response to the female hormone oestrogen, and tend to shrink after the time of menopause as oestrogen levels decline. Fibroids affect about one in five women over the age of 30, and are particularly common in women aged between 35 and 45.

Agnus castus is one of my preferred herbs for treating fibroids. This herb seems to work by regulating the production of female hormones. In particular, Agnus castus increases the production of the hormone progesterone, which tends to dampen and balance the effects of oestrogen in the body. I would advise you to take 40 drops of Agnus castus tincture (alcoholic extract) in water each day.

I am not aware of any studies which have looked specifically at the effects of Agnus castus on fibroids, but it does seem as though it may be effective in controlling the condition, particularly where the fibroids are relatively small in size. My advice would be to use Agnus castus in conjunction with other approaches which might help your condition.

One area of the body that often needs some attention in order to control fibroid growth is the liver. Oestrogen is broken down in the liver, so if the liver is ¿sluggish¿, oestrogen is more likely to exert its action in the body, which in turn increases the likelihood of fibroids.

As much as possible, the diet needs to be low in those foods and drinks which tend to stress the liver including fatty foods (processed foods and red meat particularly), coffee (and other caffeinated beverages), and alcohol. It will help you to base your diet on whole, unrefined foods, fresh fruits and vegetables and water (at least 1 and a half litres per day). Avoiding foods which may contain oestrogen such as meat and perhaps milk might also help you.

In addition to this basic dietary approach, I recommend that you take the herb Milk Thistle (Silybum marianum). Milk Thistle contains a compound known as silymarin which enhances liver function, which in turn should help to reduce the effect of oestrogen in the body. Take a supplement which supplies 300 ¿ 400 mg of silymarin per day.