What is Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome?

This is a common hormonal imbalance in young women and is more common before having children.

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome can manifest in different forms –

• Irregular and infrequent menstrual bleeding only 
• Irregular and infrequent menstrual bleeding associated with small cysts on the ovaries
• Irregular and infrequent menstrual bleeding associated with larger cysts on the ovaries
• Some women will exhibit signs of excess male hormone production – such as acne, greasy skin, excess body hair or scalp hair loss, while others will not
• Some women will be overweight with excessively high levels of insulin and this leads to a higher risk of diabetes. High insulin levels are known as insulin resistance
• Some women will be normal body weight, or even thin, and do not have insulin excess

Treatment of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome

Many women with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome find it hard to get a holistic program to overcome this hormonal imbalance. They also find it hard to get a program that is tailor made for them.

The most common regime that doctors use to treat a woman with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome is the oral contraceptive pill and a drug called Metformin. The rationale of this regime is that the oral contraceptive pill will give a regular monthly menstrual bleed so you think that the problem is being fixed. Now if you need contraception, the oral contraceptive pill is the ideal treatment. But if you are not sexually active and thus do not need contraception, the oral contraceptive pill is not ideal because it is only masking the problem. One advantage of the oral contraceptive pill is that it will control acne and greasy skin, so many women choose the oral contraceptive pill for that reason. In overweight women, the oral contraceptive pill may worsen insulin resistance and lead to more weight gain. The oral contraceptive pill can cause moodiness in some women as well as headaches, so it can be trial and error with different types of oral contraceptive pills.

The drug Metformin will lower insulin levels and can help women with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome and high insulin levels to lose weight. But if you continue to eat a high carbohydrate diet the Metformin will not produce much weight loss. In women with normal body weight I do not think Metformin is indicated.

My preferred treatment for a woman with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome is –

• A regular exercise program
• A low carbohydrate eating plan, which eliminates sugar and processed grains. In overweight women a grain free diet. 
• Supplements to improve insulin function – such as chromium, B vitamins, magnesium and Vitamin D.

If you are interested in optimizing your hormonal health and PCOS, I would love to help you reach your health goals. Feel free to reach out and check out available appointments here!

 

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