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What is PCOS ?
A hormonal disorder causing enlarged ovaries with small cysts on the outer edges.
The cause of polycystic ovary syndrome isn’t well understood, but may involve a combination of
genetic and environmental factors.
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a problem with hormones that happens during the reproductive
years. If you have PCOS, you may not have periods very often. Or you may have periods that last
many days. You may also have too much of a hormone called androgen in your body.
With PCOS, many small sacs of fluid develop along the outer edge of the ovary. These are called
cysts. The small fluid-filled cysts contain immature eggs. These are called follicles. The follicles fail
to regularly release eggs.
The exact cause of PCOS is unknown. Early diagnosis and treatment along with weight loss may
lower the risk of long-term complications such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
This fluid contain:- With PCOS , many small sacs of fluid develop along the outer edge of the
ovary. These are called cysts. The small fluid-filled cysts contain immature eggs. These are
called follicles.
Fluid in ovary :- An ovarian cyst is a sac filled with fluid that forms on or inside an ovary. This
article is about cysts that form during your monthly menstrual cycle, called functional cysts.
Functional cysts are not the same as cysts caused by cancer or other diseases.
In addition, PCOS can potentially increase the risk of dysmenorrhea, endometriosis, endometrioma,
and irritable bowel syndrome, which are highly related to
Types of PCOS.
Under normal conditions, the hormone insulin rises briefly after eating. It
stimulates the liver and muscles to take up sugar from the blood and
convert it to energy. That then causes blood sugar to fall, and then insulin
to fall. With normal insulin sensitivity, both sugar and insulin are normal
on a fasting blood test.
With insulin resistance, blood sugar may be normal, but insulin is high.
Why? Because the pancreas has to make more and more insulin to try to
get its message through. Too much insulin generates inflammation and
causes weight gain. It can also lead to Type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
Too much insulin is also an underlying physiological driver of PCOS (1).
As a clinician who prescribes diet and natural treatments for PCOS, I find
it’s essential to confirm insulin resistance with a blood test such as fasting
insulin, HOMA-IR index, or a 2-hour insulin glucose challenge test.
By testing for insulin resistance, I can identify PCOS patients who do not
have an insulin problem, such as the small group who have adrenal PCOS
(11) and the fairly large group who have hypothalamic amenorrhea but
have been misdiagnosed as “lean PCOS.”
For my patients with PCOS, I find that the most effective dietary
intervention is to reduce fructose.
Fructose itself is not a problem; only a high amount can cause harm. For
example, low-dose fructose from fruit does not induce insulin resistance
and is instead beneficial for insulin sensitivity and health. High-dose
fructose from desserts, soft drinks, and fruit juice has a very different
effect. “There is a fundamental physiological difference in how smaller
and larger amounts of sugar are processed in the body,” explained one
researcher (15). At a high dose, fructose can overwhelm the normal
processing pathways in the small intestine and is able to reach the liver,
where it can generate inflammation and impair insulin sensitivity (16).
More research is needed here.
Refined sugar
Trans and saturated fat
Processed food
Dairy products (this can be subjective)
Including exercise in your routine
Along with an anti-inflammatory diet, routine exercise can help with your
PCOS symptoms. Regular small sets of these exercises can help you
improve your body’s insulin sensitivity, reduce cortisol levels, and reduce
the secretion of androgens in the body. Physical activity of 150 minutes a
week or 30 minutes a day is often recommended for PCOS.
Zumba, yoga, cardio exercises, strength training, and HIIT are some
routines you can incorporate. You can begin with slow and short (10-
minute) routines and make incremental progress.
POST PILLS PCOS.
That said, stopping hormonal birth control can temporarily cause certain
symptoms typically associated with PCOS in some people. It can also
lead to some people finding out they have PCOS after birth control
previously masked the symptoms.
This article will explore the link between stopping hormonal birth control
and the onset of PCOS symptoms, the effects of hormones on PCOS,
diagnosis, and when a person may wish to speak with a doctor.
Hormonal contraceptives contain ingredients that affect how the body
produces and processes hormones. These ingredients significantly affect
hormonal functions. The body can become used to consistently receiving
the medication and processing its ingredients.
In a person who does not have PCOS, any symptoms they experience
should resolve as the body adjusts to correct the hormonal imbalance.
Symptoms
People with PCOS can experience a wide range of symptoms, many of
which relate to hormonal imbalances. However, people without PCOS
can experience symptoms related to hormonal fluctuations as well, such
as hormonal acne around their period.
You have two adrenal glands that sit on top of each kidney and produce
stress hormones, like cortisol and adrenaline, and sex hormones like
DHEA and testosterone. Stress, whether emotional or physical, causes
your adrenal glands to release more cortisol, which inadvertently also
increases DHEA-S levels. DHEA-S is an androgen, like testosterone, but
is only produced by the adrenal glands. Between 20 to 30 percent of
patients with PCOS have high DHEA-S levels (2). Cortisol and DHEA-S
disrupt the balance of other hormones in your body that lead to PCOS
symptoms like irregular periods, acne, and unwanted hair growth or hair
loss.
Most women with PCOS have a root cause of insulin resistance and high
testosterone levels. However, DHEA-S is often the only androgen found
to be elevated on bloodwork in women with PCOS with an adrenal gland
root cause.
Adrenal PCOS
Living with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
(PCOS) can be challenging, and understanding
its different subtypes can help us navigate our
journey more effectively. In this blog post, we
will delve into one of the subtypes known as
Adrenal PCOS. We will explore what it is, its
causes, symptoms, and most importantly,
discuss various treatment options available to
empower those living with Adrenal PCOS to
take control of their health and well-being.
The lowdown
Adrenal PCOS can interfere with a woman’s
hormones and make it more challenging to
conceive. This condition also produces high
quantities of male hormones, which can cause
undesirable symptoms, such as unsightly body
and facial hair development.
What is PCOD ?
- Abnormal menstruation
- Skipped or absence of menstruation
- Darkening of the skin around the groyne &
neck
- Severe menstrual bleeding
- Hair growth on the face, back, stomach and
chest
- Acne (facial, chest, and upper back)
- Overweight or obese
- Hair thinning on the crown
- Pelvic examination
- Blood tests
- Imaging test
PCOD
1. This is a classic condition of poor lifestyle
2. PCOD is very common in women
3. Low risk of other health problems such as
diabetes
4. Don’t have significant fertility issues
5. Might ovulate regularly
PCOS
1. This is a more serious condition than PCOD
2. One in five women have this
3. High risk of other health problems
4. Higher rate of fertility complications
5. Ovulate periodically
However in both cases, ie., PCOD s PCOS,
losing weight, eating a healthy diet that is free
of processed and junk food.
PCOS
VERSUS
PCOD
PCOS
PCOD
PCOS refers to a metabolic disorder and a
more severe form of PCOD that can lead to
anovulation where ovaries stop releasing eggs
A disorder of the endocrine system
Has a lower number of patients
PCOD refers to a condition in which ovaries
produce many immature or partially mature
eggs due to poor lifestyle, obesity, stress, and
hormonal imbalance
A condition developed by the imbalance of
hormones
Has a higher number of patients
Difficult to get pregnant in PCOS
In PCOD, fertility is not affected