Dietary vitamin B6 intake linked to endometriosis pathways

Dietary vitamin B6 intake linked to endometriosis pathways | Image Credit: © Alena - © Alena - stock.adobe.com.

There is an association between endometriosis and dietary vitamin B6 intake, according to a recent study published in Frontiers in Nutrition.¹

Endometriosis presents in 5% to 10% of women, leading to symptoms such as pelvic pain and infertility. The significant health care cost of endometriosis makes it a significant publish health concern,² but data about modifiable risk factors remains limited.

Multiple metabolic processes are impacted by the intake of a vitamin found naturally in certain foods known as vitamin B6.¹ Immune and endocrine systems are also impacted by vitamin B6 intake, and data has indicated potential increased risks of certain cancers from B6 deficiency.

As endometriosis is linked to behaviors in pathways related to inflammation and cell proliferation, vitamin B6 may be a modifiable risk factor of the condition. However, research about this association is currently lacking.

Investigators conducted a study to evaluate the association between dietary vitamin B6 intake and endometriosis. Data from 1999 to 2006 was obtained from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) and the National Center for Health Statistics, with patients aged 20 to 54 years.

Participants completed a reproductive health questionnaire that asked whether they’d been diagnosed with endometriosis by a doctor or other health care professional. Dietary assessments were conducted using responses to the NHANES dietary survey. Patients’ food and beverage intake in the day before the interview were also recorded.

Patients were randomized to participate in morning, afternoon, or evening data collection. There were 2 dietary recall interviews, followed by a phone interview after 3 to 10 days.

Covariates included age, race and ethnicity, marital status, family income, smoking status, education level, alcohol consumption, physical activity, body mass index (BMI), high blood pressure, diabetes, use of birth control pills, chronic bronchitis, caloric consumption, coronary heart disease, total fat intake, total cholesterol intake, and nutritional supplement use.

There were 4453 participants included in the final analysis, 7.57% of whom presented with endometriosis and 63.92% were overweight. Smoking was reported in 39.10% of participants, dietary supplement use in 47.14%, and being aged under 40 years in 53.40%.

Participants who were aged under 40 years, used dietary supplements, had a BMI under 25, had an education level over 12 years, didn’t smoke, had moderate exercise, or lived with a partner or had higher income were more likely to report dietary vitamin B6 intake.

Significant associations were reported between dietary vitamin B6 intake and endometriosis, with correlations also found for age, race, family income, birth control pill use, education level, chronic bronchitis, high blood pressure, and dietary supplement use. This indicated a complex link between dietary factors, demographics, and lifestyle choices.

When compared to B6 consumption of less than 0.94 mg/day, the adjusted odds ratio (OR) for intake of 0.95 to 1.39 mg/day and endometriosis was 1.22. In comparison, the ORs for 1.40 to 1.99 mg/day and over 1.99 mg/day were 1.22 and 1.51, respectively.

There were no significant interactions reported when stratifying results based on age, BMI, marital status, smoking status, education level, family income, or dietary supplement use. This indicated a consistent association between dietary vitamin B6 intake and endometriosis across demographic factors and lifestyle choices.

These results indicated an association between dietary vitamin B6 intake and endometriosis. Investigators concluded there is a potential role of diet in the pathogenesis of endometriosis.

Reference

1. Yin L, Liang F, Xie B, et al. Association between dietary vitamin B6 intake and endometriosis risk: evidence from the national health and nutrition examination survey. Front Nutr. 2024 Oct;11. doi:10.3389/fnut.2024.1407099.
2. Soliman AM, Surrey ES, Bonafede M, Nelson JK, Vora JB, Agarwal SK. Health care utilization and costs associated with endometriosis among women with Medicaid insurance. J Manag Care Spec Pharm. 2019;25:566–572. doi:10.18553/jmcp.2019.25.5.566