PCOS

Danielle de Haas
Jan 31, 2017
5 min read

PCOS – Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

What is Polycystic Ovary syndrome (PCOS)?

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome is one of the most common hormonal endocrine disorders in women. PCOS is a problem where a woman’s hormones are out of balance. It can disrupt your menstrual cycle and period and make it hard to get pregnant. PCOS can also cause changes in your appearance. Early diagnosis of PCOS is important as it has been linked to more serious health problems such as diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and insulin resistance. When women get PCOS – they usually grow many small cysts on their ovaries. This is where the name comes from. The cysts are not harmful alone but are the causes of the hormone imbalances.

What happens in PCOS?

In PCOS, the hormones get out of balance. One hormone change prompts another, which changes another. For example: the sex hormones get out of balance. Normally, the ovaries make a tiny amount of male sex hormones (androgens). In PCOS, they start making slightly more androgens. This may cause you to stop ovulating, get acne and grow extra facial and body hair.

What causes PCOS?

The cause of PCOS is still unknown or not fully understood (relating to insulin and cortisol). It is believed that genetics do play a part.

What are the symptoms?

Acne
Weight gain and/or trouble loosing weight
Fertility problems (infertility)
Depression
Darkened patches of skin
Skin tags
Hirsutism - excessive hair growth
Thinning hair on the scalp
Irregular menstrual cyc
Irregular periods
Insulin resistance
Type 2 diabetes
High cholesterol and high triglycerides
High blood pressure
Pelvic pain
Anxiety
Sleep Apnea
Decreased sex drive
Increase in stress levels

Treatment

Treatment for PCOS is not curative. Treatment focuses on controlling symptoms and managing the condition to prevent complications. The treatment will obviously be specific to each individual women and vary according to the severity of the condition and the side effects.

Medical:

Birth control pills:

Regulate or controls menstrual cycle
Reduces male hormone levels
Can assist with acne

Metformin (Glucophase):

Metformin has shown to affect the way insulin in controlled in blood glucose (sugar) and has shown to lower testosterone levels.
Metformin is used for type 2 diabetes but can be useful to women with PCOS because many have the side effect of insulin resistance. This medication improves the cells reaction to insulin and helps move glucose into the cell, which permits your body to make less insulin.

Fertility:

Fertility treatments:

Ovulation cycles
Inseminations
In Vitro Fertilization or IVF

Fertility medications:

Clomiphene – an oral medication to stimulate ovulation.
Letrozole – an oral medication that works like Clomiphene.
Gonadotropins – this is a short term approach and used to stimulate the ovary to produce several follicles.

Surgery or procedures:

There are a range of surgeries and procedures that can be undertaken to assist with PCOS, including: Ovarian drilling, Oophorectomy, Hysterectomy and Cyst Aspiration.

Medications for increased hair growth or extra male hormone:

Vanique – a cream that helps to reduce facial hair.
Aldactone – blocks androgens or male hormones

Natural treatments

Lifestyle modifications:

Getting EDUCATED with nutrition – finding someone that specialises or is experienced in PCOS or Diabetes
Learning about nutrition labels
Modifying your diet to whole foods
Eating and learning about well balanced meals
Exercise – both cardiovascular and weight training
Meditation for mental illness effects – depression, anxiety and stress
No smoking
Glycemic index – learning about GI and GL
Loosing weight can lower disease risk factors.

Balancing insulin:

Insulin resistance has been found to contribute to excess production of androgens in the ovaries. Insulin resistance is proportionate with obesity or being overweight especially around the middle – visceral fat = fat around the organs. However, insulin resistance can also be found in people who are not obese or overweight. If you are overweight and you have PCOS it is strongly advisable that you loose weight and correct insulin resistance.

Training and other:

Exercise regularly – cardio and weights
Reduce stress with yoga, meditation, breathing exercises, 8 hours of sleep, regular exercise, lavender, lemon balm and chamomile tea.

Diet:

Avoid coffee, alcohol, soft drinks, sugar and juices containing sugar, refined carbohydrates
Eat small protein rich meals every 3 hours to balance your blood sugar.
Eliminate dairy products altogether and opt for the organic free range meats. This is due to the high content of hormones, pesticides and herbicides which are known endocrine disruptors – they can lead to anovulation.
Eat more: adzuki beans, basil, cayenne, chestnut, chives, eggplant, garlic, ginger, kohlrabi, leek, nutmeg, pepper, rice, rosemary, spearmint and turmeric.
Eat fresh licorice from an organic store – fresh licorice has been shown to decrease androgen production.
Add cinnamon to your cooking. It has been found to improve insulin sensitivity in women with PCOS.
Buy organic foods whenever possible
Drink at least 2 litres of water daily – 3 litres at minimum if exercising.
Avoid additives, preservatives and food chemicals such as artificial sweeteners.

Vitamins and minerals:

Take a good quality multivitamin and fish oil – make sure it has been tested for mercury and stabilised with vitamin E.
Increase intake of vitamin D, calcium, magnesium, chromium, omega-3s.
Vitamin B6 can help balance prolactin levels, which are often elevated in PCOS. B vitamins are also necessary for dopamine synthesis and adrenal hormone production. B vitamins are important for energy production, fat burning and hormone imbalances.
Chromium is necessary for proper blood sugar regulation. Taking chromium increases the uptake of glucose into cells, decreasing insulin resistance. Chromium also assists in cravings, hunger and weight loss.
Zinc helps with appetite control, healthy blood sugar balance and thyroid health.
Magnesium balances blood sugar levels. There is a strong link between magnesium deficiency and insulin resistance.
Co-enzyme Q10 is essential for energy production and normal carbohydrate metabolism.
Diindolylmethane (DIM) helps the liver convert oestrogen into a healthier form.
Amino acids L-arginine and N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) have shown to help restore ovarian function. NAC may also assist in insulin sensitivity.

Herbs:

Saw palmetto is very effective hormone balance for PCOS. Saw palmetto decreases the conversion of testosterone to its more biologically active form (DHT). This results in lower levels of circulating testosterone. Saw palmetto is effective in addressing symptoms of acne, hair loss and facial hair growth.
Chasteberry is another herb used for PCOS. Chasteberry inhibits prolactin synthesis and raises progesterone levels restoring balance to two important hormones involved in the menstrual cycle. Low progesterone levels are very common during puberty and are known to contribute to the formation of ovarian cysts.
Adrenal tonics such as Rehmannia, Rhodiola, Siberian, Ginsend and Withania support the adrenal stress response and help the adrenal glands return to a state of balance.
Peony is a valuable herb as it positively influences low progesterone, reduces elevated androgens and modulates oestrogen and prolactin.
Maca is an adaptogenic herb known to stimulate the hypothalamus, pituitary and adrenal glands to support and balance hormones such as FSH, LH, oestrogen and progesterone. It is helpful for symptoms such as hirsutism, acne, irregular menstrual cycles and even insulin resistance.
Gymnema is helpful in reducing carbohydrate and sugar cravings.
Tribulus helps restore menstrual regularity and regulate ovulation.
Blue Cohosh acts as a uterine and ovarian tonic and a pelvic anti-inflammatory.
Milk thistle, rosemary, Bupleurum and Schizandra are excellent liver herbs, aiding in the removal of excess oestogen.