Why Endometriosis Keeps Coming Back (And How to Break the Cycle)

The Dr. Hyman Show

Dr. Mark Hyman

Medicine, Health & Fitness, Nutrition

4.5 • 9.1K Ratings

🗓️ 30 March 2026

⏱️ 40 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Endometriosis affects 1 in 10 women yet it often takes years to diagnose, and many are told their pain is “normal” or simply treated with birth control or surgery. But endometriosis isn’t just a hormone issue—it’s a whole-body condition driven by inflammation, immune dysfunction, gut health, and environmental exposures. In this episode, we break down what’s really causing it and what you can do to address it at the root. I’m joined by my longtime colleague and friend, Dr. Elizabeth Boham, Medical Director and Functional Medicine Physician at The UltraWellness Center. Here’s what we break down: • Why endometriosis is not just a gynecologic condition and the root causes most doctors miss • The hidden role of gut health, inflammation, and the microbiome in driving symptoms • How estrogen imbalance and environmental toxins (xenoestrogens) fuel the condition • A functional medicine approach to reducing pain and preventing recurrence beyond medication or surgery If you’re struggling with endometriosis or unresolved symptoms and want a more personalized, root-cause approach, you can learn more about becoming a patient at The UltraWellness Center here: https://www.ultrawellnesscenter.com/becoming-a-patient/ Visit ⁠functionhealth.com for 160+ lab tests at just $365 a year. Have a question you’d love answered on Office Hours? Submit it here (0:00) Introduction, statistics, and overview of endometriosis and functional medicine (2:27) Introduction of Dr. Elizabeth Boham and explanation of endometriosis (6:10) The immune system, gut health, and their roles in endometriosis (10:29) The gut microbiome, estrogen metabolism, and the 5R approach (16:55) Xenoestrogens and detoxification strategies (22:53) Nutritional supplements and additional detox support (25:41) Surgery and lifestyle interventions for endometriosis management (30:20) Blood sugar, insulin resistance, and hormonal balance (32:11) Prevention and recurrence of endometriosis (33:40) Summary, key takeaways, and closing remarks (38:11) Sponsor: Gratitude to sponsors

Transcript

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0:00.0	You started to mention some of those things that can get out of balance in somebody's body
0:05.0	and influence why they may have endometriosis.
0:08.0	And what we're learning is I think which is so interesting is it's not just a disease of the pelvis.
0:15.0	It's a systemic disease where we want to think about it really comprehensively and systemically and ask that question why so we can treat our patients individually.
0:25.6	Welcome to office hours.
0:42.3	This is our dedicated one-on-one space to go deeper, get clear, and explore what truly moves the needle for your health.
0:47.9	I'm Dr. Mark Hyman, and each week we're going to pull back the curtain and share the insights, the research, the lessons that don't always make it into our conversations with guests. Because at the end of the day, you are the CEO of
0:58.5	your own health. And for many of you, your family's health too. And you might not feel it all the
1:02.5	time, but you have far more power in agency than you realize. I'm glad you're here.
1:09.8	This episode is brought to you by Function Health, empowering you to live 100 healthy
1:13.7	years with over 160 lab tests at just $365 a year. Sign up today at functionhealth.com
1:20.0	slash mark and use code Mark 2026 to get $50 towards your membership. Now, if you've ever been
1:25.5	told that debilitating period pain is, well,
1:28.6	just part of being a woman, I want you to hear this really clearly. It's not. One in 10 women
1:34.3	lives with something called endometriosis. And yet it takes an average of seven to 10 years
1:40.7	for women to get diagnosed if they have that problem. And during that whole time,
1:49.5	lots of women are prescribed birth control pills, pain medication, till surgery is the only real option. And sometimes surgery is necessary, but nobody really asks the deeper questions.
1:55.0	Why is this happening in the first place? That's what functional medicine is. It's the medicine
1:59.6	of why. Not just what disease
2:01.6	you have, but why do you have it? And endometriosis isn't just a gynecologic condition.
2:06.3	It's not just a uterine condition. It's an inflammatory condition. It's an immune condition. It's a
2:11.0	hormonal disorder. And it's also connected to your gut health. It's also connected to how you
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