Fibroids: Do Natural Remedies Work? Facts for Ghanaian Women

By Dr. Francis Kutin, ND, MPH | Naturopathic Physician and Medical Science Communicator | BF Naturopathic Health Care and Research, Agona Duakwa, Central Region, Ghana
Published and last reviewed: 8 November 2026

“Doctor, they say I have fibroids. Can herbs shrink them?” It is one of the questions Ghanaian women ask most often, in clinics, on radio call-in shows and in online searches. Fibroids are extremely common, they can cause heavy bleeding, pain, anaemia and worry about having children, and many products are sold with promises to “melt” them without surgery. This article explains what fibroids are, what Ghanaian and international research shows, which natural remedies have any evidence, which do not, and what proven options exist.

Go to a hospital immediately if you are bleeding so heavily that you soak a pad in an hour or less, pass large clots, feel faint, dizzy or very weak, have sudden severe pelvic pain, or are pregnant and bleeding or in pain. Heavy bleeding from fibroids can cause severe anaemia.

Key Takeaways

• Fibroids are non-cancerous growths of the womb. They are very common, and Black women are affected more often and more severely.
• Many fibroids cause no symptoms and need no treatment. Others cause heavy periods, pain, anaemia and pressure symptoms and need proper care.
• No herb has been proven to shrink fibroids. A small trial of high-dose green tea extract showed promise, but it was a pilot study and has not been confirmed.
• Herbal “fibroid cleansers” can be harmful, and delay can lead to severe anaemia, emergency surgery or loss of fertility.
• Safe, proven medical and surgical options exist. See a doctor, especially for heavy periods.

What Are Fibroids?

Uterine fibroids (also called leiomyomas or myomas) are growths made of muscle and fibrous tissue that develop in or on the wall of the womb. They can be as small as a seed or as large as a melon, and a woman may have one or many. Fibroids are benign, meaning they are not cancer, and they do not usually turn into cancer. They are not caused by curses, witchcraft, abortion or “dirty” blood, and they are not contagious. They grow in response to the hormones oestrogen and progesterone, which is why they tend to appear in the reproductive years and shrink after menopause.

How Common Are Fibroids, and Why in Ghana?

• By the age of 50, fibroids can be found in more than 80% of Black women and about 70% of white women, according to ultrasound studies in the United States.
• Black women tend to develop fibroids at younger ages, with larger or more numerous fibroids and more symptoms.
• In Ghana, a study of tissue examined at a teaching hospital in Kumasi found fibroids in about 79% of the women studied. This number applies to women whose uteri were examined, not all Ghanaian women, but it shows how common the condition is.

Known and suspected risk factors include age (late 30s to menopause), family history, African ancestry, being overweight, early first period, high blood pressure, low vitamin D, a diet high in red meat and low in fruit and vegetables, and heavy alcohol use. Having children may lower the risk. These factors raise the chance but do not guarantee fibroids.

Symptoms

• Heavy or prolonged periods, sometimes with clots
• Bleeding between periods
• Pelvic pain, pressure or a heavy feeling
• Painful periods or pain during sex
• Frequent urination or difficulty emptying the bladder
• Constipation, bloating and back or leg pain
• A swollen or enlarged lower abdomen
• Tiredness and weakness from anaemia
• Difficulty getting pregnant, or miscarriage, in some women

Many women have fibroids without any symptoms and discover them during a scan. Not every pelvic symptom is a fibroid, so a proper examination and ultrasound are needed. If you are tired all the time, see Always Tired Even After Sleeping? 8 Possible Causes.

Why Fibroids Matter

• Anaemia: Heavy bleeding drains iron. Many women live with chronic anaemia for years.
• Pain and reduced quality of life.
• Fertility and pregnancy: Some fibroids, especially those inside the womb cavity, can make conception harder or raise the risk of miscarriage, premature labour or a caesarean section. If you have fibroids and are pregnant, never use herbal labour stimulants. See Herbal Medicine in Pregnancy and Labour in Ghana: The Facts.
• Complications: Very large fibroids can press on the bladder, bowel and blood vessels.
• Rapid growth, especially after menopause, needs urgent investigation, because rarely a fast-growing mass can be a cancer (leiomyosarcoma).

Proven Medical and Surgical Treatments

Treatment depends on your symptoms, the size and position of the fibroids, your age and whether you want children. Options include:

• Watchful waiting: For small fibroids without symptoms, regular check-ups are enough.
• Iron treatment: For anaemia. This treats the consequences, not the fibroid.
• Medicines for heavy bleeding: Such as tranexamic acid, hormonal contraceptives or a hormone-releasing coil. Newer hormone-blocking medicines can reduce bleeding and sometimes shrink fibroids, but fibroids usually regrow when they are stopped.
• Myomectomy: Surgery to remove the fibroids and keep the womb, which is the option for women who want to have children.
• Uterine artery embolisation: A procedure that blocks the blood supply to fibroids.
• Hysterectomy: Removal of the womb, a definitive treatment for women who have finished childbearing.

Not all of these are available in every facility in Ghana, so ask your doctor what is suitable and where. Surgery is not always necessary, and a good doctor will discuss options with you.

Do Natural Remedies Work for Fibroids?

Many women turn to herbs because they fear surgery, worry about cost or want to protect fertility. Research on natural remedies for fibroids is limited. Here is what it shows:

Remedy	What the evidence shows
Green tea extract (EGCG)	The most promising. A pilot trial in Egypt gave 39 women with symptomatic fibroids 800 mg of green tea extract (45% EGCG) or placebo daily for four months. In those taking it, fibroid volume fell by about 33%, while it grew by about 24% in the placebo group, and bleeding and anaemia improved. Cautions: It was a small pilot study, it has not been repeated in large trials, and high-dose green tea extracts have been linked to liver injury. Do not self-medicate.
Vitamin D	Women with low vitamin D are more likely to have fibroids, and sufficient vitamin D has been associated with lower odds. But small supplement trials have given mixed results, and it is not an established treatment. Black women are more likely to be vitamin D deficient.
Chinese herbal formulas and acupuncture	Some trials report benefit, but they are generally of low quality or uncertain.
Turmeric/curcumin	Laboratory and animal findings. Human evidence for fibroids is lacking. See our turmeric guide.
Castor oil packs, vitex (chaste tree), milk thistle, apple cider vinegar, “detox” drinks	No studies showing they shrink fibroids. See our apple cider vinegar article.
Local herbal mixtures sold as “fibroid cures” or “womb cleansers”	No evidence. Contents are often unknown, and some can cause bleeding, liver or kidney harm or contain undeclared substances.

In short, no herb is a proven fibroid treatment. A promising early finding for green tea extract does not justify buying unregulated products or delaying care.

The Risks of Relying on Herbs

• Delay: Months of herbs while fibroids grow and bleeding continues can lead to severe anaemia, sometimes needing a blood transfusion.
• Organ damage: High-dose green tea extract and some other herbs can harm the liver. Unknown mixtures can harm the kidneys.
• Hormonal effects: Some herbs affect hormones and could worsen bleeding or interfere with treatment and fertility.
• Pregnancy risk: Many herbs are unsafe in pregnancy, and women with fibroids who become pregnant should not use herbal products without advice.
• Cost and false hope: Money spent on “cures” can delay proper treatment.

See our guide to natural medicine and chronic disease in Ghana to spot false cure claims and check products with the FDA.

Lifestyle Steps That May Help

These steps are not a cure, but they support general and hormonal health:

• Keep a healthy weight. Being overweight raises oestrogen levels. See our evidence-based guide to weight loss.
• Eat plenty of vegetables, fruit, beans and whole foods, and limit red and processed meat. Studies link diets rich in fruit and vegetables with a lower risk of fibroids.
• Limit alcohol. See To Live Longer: 5 Habits and Foods to Avoid for a Healthier Life.
• Be physically active for about 30 minutes on most days.
• Check your blood pressure, which is linked with fibroid risk.
• Get safe sunlight and vitamin D-rich foods, and ask your doctor about testing vitamin D before taking supplements.
• Manage heavy periods: Eat iron-rich foods (beans, fish, eggs, leafy greens) with vitamin C foods, and take iron tablets if your doctor prescribes them.
• Keep your routine check-ups, including breast and cervical screening. See our breast cancer awareness article.

Myths and Facts

Myth	Fact
Fibroids are a curse or caused by spiritual attack.	They are a common medical condition linked to hormones, genes and other factors.
Fibroids are cancer.	They are almost always benign. Rapid growth should be checked.
If I have fibroids I cannot have children.	Many women with fibroids conceive and deliver. Some need treatment first.
Herbs can dissolve fibroids without surgery.	No herb is proven to do so, and some are harmful.
All fibroids need surgery.	Many need no treatment, and medicines can control symptoms.
Fibroids come back after surgery, so it is pointless.	New fibroids can grow after myomectomy, but treatment still improves symptoms and quality of life.

Questions to Ask Your Doctor

• How many fibroids do I have, and where are they?
• Do I need treatment, or can we monitor them?
• Am I anaemic? Should I take iron?
• Which options protect my fertility?
• What are the risks and costs of each treatment, and what does my insurance cover?
• Are any of the herbs or supplements I take unsafe?

Frequently Asked Questions

Can fibroids go away on their own?
They often shrink after menopause, and some stay the same size for years. Treatment is needed when they cause problems.

Can green tea shrink fibroids?
A small trial using a high-dose green tea extract showed shrinkage, but it has not been confirmed, and high-dose extracts can harm the liver. Drinking ordinary green tea is not a proven treatment.

Can I use herbs to avoid surgery?
No herb is proven to replace surgery. Talk to your doctor about non-surgical options such as medicines or embolisation if you wish to avoid an operation.

Do fibroids cause infertility?
Sometimes, depending on their size and position, but many women with fibroids conceive naturally.

Can I get fibroids after menopause?
New fibroids are rare after menopause. Growth then needs prompt evaluation.

Is it safe to take herbal products for fibroids while pregnant?
No. Avoid unprescribed herbal products in pregnancy.

Can fibroids be prevented?
Not entirely, but a healthy weight, a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, exercise and less alcohol may lower the risk.

Conclusion

Fibroids are common, usually harmless and very treatable, but heavy bleeding and anaemia can quietly wear a woman down for years. Natural remedies, especially green tea extract and vitamin D, are interesting areas of research, but no herb has been proven to shrink fibroids, and unregulated “fibroid cures” carry real risks. If you have heavy periods, pelvic pain or a swollen abdomen, see a doctor for an examination and scan, ask about all your options and use natural measures as a support, not a substitute. You deserve safe, evidence-based care without shame or delay.

Medical Disclaimer: This article is for general educational purposes only and does not replace professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Herbal products can cause side effects and interact with medicines. Consult a qualified healthcare professional for pelvic pain, heavy bleeding or suspected fibroids. See our full Medical Disclaimer.

References and Further Reading

• Roshdy E, Rajaratnam V, Maitra S, Sabry M, Allah AS, Al-Hendy A. Treatment of symptomatic uterine fibroids with green tea extract: a pilot randomized controlled clinical study. International Journal of Women’s Health, 2013.
• Uterine fibroids: causes, impact, treatment, and lens to the African perspective. Frontiers in Pharmacology, 2022.
• Evidence-based management of uterine fibroids with botanical drugs: a review. Frontiers in Pharmacology, 2022.
• Baird DD, Dunson DB, Hill MC, Cousins D, Schectman JM. High cumulative incidence of uterine leiomyoma in black and white women: ultrasound evidence. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 2003;188:100–107.
• Green tea extract: a non-surgical alternative for treatment of uterine fibroids. ClinicalTrials.gov record.

About the Author

Dr. Francis Kutin, ND, MPH, is a naturopathic physician, public health researcher and medical science communicator based at Agona Duakwa in the Central Region of Ghana. He writes about health education, naturopathic health care and evidence-informed wellness through BF Naturopathic Health Care and Research. Contact us.