PCOS stands for polycystic ovary syndrome, quite a mouthful that implies something that rarely occurs. But it is common among women. The word polycystic refers to multiple small cysts around the edges of the ovaries.
This situation causes sex hormone problems that if not detected and treated properly can develop into complications leading to insulin resistance, diabetes, heart disease, and possibly cancer. Many times PCOS renders women of child bearing age infertile and/or creates inexplicable obesity.
The cysts can be detected by ultrasound. But women may experience PCOS even without detectable cysts on their ovaries. Even without ultrasound confirmation, two out of the following symptoms may be enough for a diagnosis of PCOS.
PCOS symptoms
The most common symptom is abnormal menstrual cycles. Usually PCOS develops during a woman's reproductive years. But it's not uncommon for PCOS signs to begin shortly after periods begin, especially with girls who have matured unusually early.
Periods or menstrual cycles could be spaced apart irregularly, or they're unusually long and heavy or light, or one has fewer than eight menstrual cycles annually and even goes months without one.
Another sign is excess androgens or male hormones. This may visibly manifest as facial hairs, male pattern baldness, adult acne or excessive adolescent acne. However, ethnicity influences these outward signs also.
Generally, Asian and Northern European women may not exhibit these visible manifestations of excessive androgens. If the menstrual abnormalities appear but the outward signs of androgens do not occur, it would be wise to have a serum hormone analysis performed.
Increased verbal aggression or anger in a woman may also be a sign of excess androgen hormones. If one of these signs is obvious, especially abnormal menstrual cycles, then the ultrasound ovary scan should be done.
It may confirm that PCOS is the issue. But if the ultrasound is negative, one may still be diagnosed with PCOS in light of the two other existing symptoms. PCO-like syndrome can afflict precociously developed younger girls. Even menopausal women can suffer from PCOS
A diagnosis of PCOS may shed light on an existing condition such as hypertension (high blood pressure), hypothyroidism, low progesterone levels, and inflammation.
PCOS treatment
Mainstream medicine offers the usual pharmaceutical management madness for PCOS and PCO-like syndrome. But there are many natural avenues of managing and even reversing PCOS or PCO-like syndrome.
Phytotherapeutic means plant based or herbal. The last and most comprehensive recommendation is followed by a study confirming its efficacy:
* Increase progesterone production by supporting progesterone-producing tissue with phytotherapeutic (plant/herbal base) solution that also improves tissue responses to progesterone.
* Natural phytotherapeutics can also decrease androgens and their effects.
* Use strong antioxidant supplements or raw cacao nibs to protect against oxidative stress.
* Improve pancreas insulin production and the cellular function of insulin response with a phytotherapeutic solution to decrease insulin resistance.
* Improve thyroid function with herbal supplements and/or high quality iodine supplements.
* Finally, omega-3 intake should be increased substantially. There are many sources, plant-based and animal based.
Study confirms omega-3 for PCOS
An April 2013 study conducted in Turkey, "Efficacy of omega-3 in the treatment of polycystic ovary syndrome," took 45 technically non-obese PCOS sufferers and had them supplement omega-3 at a rate of 1500 mg daily for six months. This is only half of what many nutritional experts recommend.
After that trial period, the women showed decreased insulin resistance and less body fat. Most importantly, testosterone (androgen) levels decreased and sex hormone-binding globulin levels increased significantly after the six-month intervention.
Increased omega-3 intake seems like the most straight forward comprehensive approach for managing PCOS.
