Polycystic ovary syndrome, commonly known as PCOS, is an endocrine disorder seen in women of childbearing age. It is characterized by excess androgens (male hormones), irregular menstruation, or small cysts on the ovaries. Ovulation occurs when the ovary releases an egg so that the sperm can fertilize it. With PCOS, a woman cannot produce enough hormones to ovulate. Lack of ovulation can lead to cyst formation.
The cysts produce high levels of male hormones, which can affect a woman’s fertility and cause many of the symptoms of PCOS.
Causes:
- Excessive Insulin – Insulin is a substance produced in the pancreas that causes cells to use sugar from food. If these cells resist the effects of insulin, blood sugar rises and the pancreas produces more insulin. Too much insulin causes the ovaries to produce more androgens, making ovulation more difficult.
- Low-Grade Inflammation – This term describes chemicals produced by white blood cells to fight infection. Studies have shown that women with PCOS have low-grade inflammation that causes the polycystic ovaries to produce androgens that can cause cardiovascular and vascular problems.
- Genetics – Studies have shown that specific genes may be involved in PCOS. It can run in families, and it’s common for a mother, daughter, or sister to have PCOS. Additionally, women with a family history of polycystic ovary syndrome or type 2 diabetes mellitus are more likely to develop PCOS.
- Excessive Androgen – High androgen levels produced by the ovaries can cause physical symptoms such as hirsutism, male pattern baldness, and acne.
Symptoms of PCOS:
- Irregular Menstruation – Irregular menstrual bleeding may include not having a period or not having a period at all. It can also cause severe bleeding.
- Abnormal hair growth – You may have excessive facial hair or hair on your arms, chest, and abdomen (hirsutism). This affects 70% of PCOS patients.
- Acne – PCOS can cause acne, especially on the back, chest, and face. This type of acne can occur at a young age and can be difficult to treat.
- Obesity – Between 40% and 80% of people with PCOS are obese and have trouble controlling their weight.
- Dark skin – You may have dark skin, especially in the neck, neck, groin (between legs), and folds under the breasts.
- Cysts – Many people with PCOS have enlarged ovaries or multiple cysts (oocysts) on ultrasound.
- Hair thinning – The hair on the heads of people with PCOS may fall out or begin to go bald.
- Infertility – Regular or frequent ovulation can cause an inability to conceive.
Treatment Approaches:
Lifestyle changes – Your doctor may suggest you lose weight as it can improve the quality of your medications. Switching to a low-calorie diet along with moderate exercise may help improve symptoms associated with PCOS. First, your doctor will recommend that you lose 5 percent of your body weight.
Medications – Medications vary depending on PCOS symptoms. A combination of birth control pills and progestin therapy can help regulate menstruation. A doctor may recommend several medications to help women with PCOS ovulate.
Home Remedies
- Be healthy, because losing weight can lower insulin and androgen levels and restore ovulation.
- Make a daily activity and exercise regularly, as insulin can treat and prevent it. It also helps in weight control and prevents the development of diabetes. Also, regular exercise can lower blood sugar. Observe the entire menstrual flow.
- Lack of menstrual hygiene can affect overall sexuality and health. Failure to follow bad habits can lead to serious health risks such as infertility and urinary tract infections, resulting in reproductive problems and future pregnancy.
Natural Home Remedies:
- Cinnamon: Cinnamon has been reported to help lower insulin levels in women affected by PCOS.
- Peppermint tea: Drinking peppermint tea has been shown to reduce androgen levels in women with PCOS. This will help improve symptoms such as hirsutism (excessive hair growth). Drink 1-2 cups of mint tea daily.
- Inositol: Inositol is a B vitamin that shows promise in improving insulin sensitivity and regulating menstruation in women with PCOS. It is available as a supplement and can be taken with other nutrients such as folic acid.
Ruhi Rajput, Nutrition expert in Hormone balance diet, believes that PCOS is mainly related to insulin resistance and not ovaries. Lack of insulin sensitivity creates hormone imbalance and a right PCOS diet with lifestyle regulation is the key to get oneself free from pcod. In her regular interaction at Naturecure, Ruhi blog-demeets a lot of young girls in their teens who are on metformin and OCPs. She feels that getting into medication at such an early age will only exaggerate a lot of other health problems in future, and only moving towards natural cure and remedy is the solution.
