However, their growth and development are stimulated by an abnormal rise in estrogen, the female sex hormone that circulates in large quantities from puberty to menopause
Although fibroids are generally harmless, they can cause many unpleasant symptoms (heavy or prolonged bleeding during and between periods, pain or discomfort during intercourse sexual dysfunction, anemia, abdominal pain, and low back pain) and often leads to infertility, premature birth, or miscarriage
Even when I got the diagnosis, I was able to manage my symptoms successfully with a healthy diet and the right amount of exercise
Interestingly, I have benefited greatly from weight lifting, a form of exercise that is rarely, if ever, discussed in relation to fibroids
It is also a very limited type of exercise that should be done by women, however the positive effects of hormonal balance are clearly visible
Fibroids are hormonally driven by low estrogen metabolism
Therefore, dealing with low estrogen metabolism is very important when it comes to preventing their growth and reducing the symptoms associated with it
Believe it or not, having more muscle mass naturally improves your body’s ability to produce estrogen and lifting weights is the ONLY way to fully build it
With its unique effects on muscles, weight lifting also supports long-term weight management, which is another important part of fibroid treatment
Muscles are the most active cells in the body, as they naturally require a lot of calories to work (contract/relax), repair and store fat
Related Article: 8 Reasons Why Women Should Weight Train
This means that you will have to work ALL the muscle groups of your body (chest, back, shoulders, arms, lower body and abs), instead of focusing on empty muscles (butt, thighs and abs) as many women do
There is a list of different exercises you can do with free weights (barbells, dumbbells, and kettlebells), machines, rubber tubing, waterproof equipment or your own body weight (power attraction)
The most important thing is that your workout includes at least 1-2 exercises for each major muscle group (at least 8 exercises)
Related Article: How to Choose Your Weight Training and Exercise Equipment
It may surprise you to know that high intensity weight lifting is actually associated with the greatest improvement in estrogen metabolism and body composition
Body composition is basically the ratio of your fat mass to your fat-free mass, which includes muscle and other tissues such as bone and blood
In addition to the positive effects on estrogen metabolism and overall body composition, moderate to vigorous weight lifting has also been shown to reduce high blood pressure and reverse prediabetes by improving insulin resistance and tolerance sugar
These are very important benefits, as high blood pressure and diabetes are both known to increase fibroid growth and related complications
The total intensity of your weight lifting routine depends largely on the amount of load (weight/resistance) you use and the number of repetitions (or reps) you do for any given exercise
In terms of reps (the number of times you repeat an exercise), your weights should tire your muscles within the intended number of repetitions
For effective fibroid control, staying within the 8 and 15 repetition range is usually a good practice
Therefore, you will need to use loads that tire your muscles in this type
For example, if you plan to do 15 repetitions, your muscles should begin to tire somewhere between 12 and 15 reps
Just use this as a guide when choosing loads for any weight lifting exercises you do
As a rule of thumb, high repetitions (12-15) should be reserved for large muscle groups such as the lower body while lower repetition ranges (8-12) are appropriate especially for smaller muscles (shoulders and arms)
A final point of emphasis: Weight lifting is most effective when you do weight training multiple times throughout the week
Weight training involves doing two or more sets of each exercise included in a single workout
Sets simply refer to sets of repetitions performed consecutively without rest
Weight training is often called “high altitude” weight training, since it involves working for a long time due to the total number of sets and repetitions performed
When it comes to fibroid management, one of the most notable benefits of weight training lies in its positive effects on sex-hormone binding globulin (SHGB), a transporter protein that works to maintain estrogen levels fluctuate
Circulating SHGB levels are also low among women with fibroids and are associated with many adverse effects including miscarriage
High volume, high frequency training has been shown to significantly raise SHGB levels in ways that promote a healthy estrogen balance
To continue to support the fibroid system, weight training leads to the greatest improvement of the body through its effects on metabolism
In fact, moderate to high intensity weight lifting (8-10 exercises 3-4 sets) can boost your metabolism by 5-8% for up to three days after exercise
This means you’ll burn an extra 100 or more calories a day when you’re resting
One of the easiest ways to implement multiple sets during weight lifting involves doing circuit sets
Circuit sets involve performing a series of exercises (8-10) with a short rest period between sets (30 seconds)
Doing circuits is also good for working your muscles and cardiovascular system at the same time
In addition, circuit classes are an effective way to lose weight because they create a “cardio-like effect” when it comes to burning calories due to limited periods of exercise rest involved
Now, while I wholeheartedly advocate lifting weights for fibroid management, doing so will not completely reverse your symptoms
However, following the strategies I’ve provided here will certainly improve your overall quality of life by helping to slow fibroid growth and reduce a lot of the pain, discomfort and other associated symptoms too
Other Related Questions Do fibroids hurt more after exercise? Can exercise cause abnormal uterine bleeding? When should I worry about fibroids coming out? Do fibroid symptoms get worse? Can fibroid symptoms get worse?
Can Exercise Make Fibroids Bleed?
The first important thing to note is that it is best to avoid exercises that increase blood flow and pressure in your abdomen
Such exercises are crunches, sit-ups, and lifting heavy weights
Fibroid Symptoms During Unexpected Bleeding Between Periods
Fibroids bleed every day
Do fibroids hurt more after exercise?
Avoid vigorous or vigorous exercise that causes abdominal pressure or pain during or after exercise
Can exercise cause abnormal uterine bleeding?
Vigorous exercise can cause changes in the hormones responsible for your menstrual cycle
Do fibroids bleed more often?
Can exercise make fibroids worse?
Vigorous or strenuous exercise, such as high-intensity interval training (HIIT), can make your fibroids worse
RELATED: Why Is Strength Training Important? What happens when a fibroid bleeds?
If you have uterine fibroids, it is common to have bleeding that lasts longer than 8 or 9 days
If you have uterine fibroids, it is common to have bleeding that lasts longer than 8 or 9 days
In most cases, your doctor will consider it abnormal if you have a long period and bleeding between 6 months at least
In most cases, your doctor will consider it abnormal if you have a long period and bleeding between 6 months at least
What causes fibroids to bleed?
Fibroids may stimulate the growth of blood vessels, which contributes to heavy or irregular periods and spotting between periods
High levels of hormones called prostaglandins can also contribute to high blood pressure
Do the symptoms of fibroids come and go?
Do the symptoms of fibroids come and go?
Fibroid pain may be chronic and felt all the time, or it may come and go
Fibroid pain may be chronic and felt all the time, or it may come and go
What is fibroid bleeding like?
Most women with uterine fibroids have no symptoms
When symptoms are present, they may include: Abnormal vaginal bleeding, such as heavy, prolonged or bleeding between periods
RELATED: How to Use Critical Thinking? What causes uterine fibroids to burst?
High blood pressure or severe blood loss are serious complications of uterine fibroid rupture
Can exercise make your period irregular?
Exercise can cause irregular periods An area in the brain called the hypothalamus slows down the release of the hormones responsible for ovulation, so your period may not come when you expect it
This usually only happens with vigorous, strenuous exercise and a low-calorie diet
In rare cases, women with fibroids need emergency treatment
In rare cases, women with fibroids need emergency treatment
If fibroids do not cause symptoms, no treatment is necessary
If fibroids do not cause symptoms, no treatment is necessary
Fibroids may disappear on their own if estrogen levels in the body decrease
Fibroids may disappear on their own if estrogen levels in the body decrease