PCOS? Natural Medicine Can Help!
Irregular periods, annoying facial and body hair growth, weight issues -- these are just a few symptoms that may be signs of a common condition in women called Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS). PCOS is a complex condition of the endocrine (hormonal) system where the body produces too much testosterone, causing male-type hair growth, hair loss, lack of ovulation and infertility, irregular and heavy periods, insulin resistance and difficulty losing weight. Women with PCOS may not find out they have the condition until they try to conceive and find it extremely difficult. Because PCOS symptoms can look like several other conditions, it is important to rule those out as well -- make sure to talk to your healthcare provider if you’re concerned you might have this condition.
The great news about PCOS is there are a lot of supplement and lifestyle changes that women can easily incorporate into their lives to help address symptoms as well as preventing future complications. The hormonal and metabolic changes of PCOS can lead to serious conditions such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease - which makes the treatment of PCOS extremely important.
So what can we do about PCOS? Standard treatments involve pharmaceuticals like birth control pills and Metformin. How about natural options? Here are a few which have the most promise for women who suffer from the myriad of PCOS symptoms:
Switch your meal schedule: Eating your largest meal for breakfast has been shown to decrease testosterone levels and normalizing blood sugar and insulin.
Boost Your Minerals: Women with PCOS benefit from supplementing calcium, magnesium and chromium. Chromium, in particular, is important in helping regulate blood sugar and insulin levels (and so can help with weight loss!).
Take NAC: A study showed that taking the supplement N-acetylcysteine (NAC) was as effective as the pharmaceutical Metformin which is standard of care in treatment of PCOS.
Spearmint Tea: Drinking 2 cups of spearmint tea per day has been shown to decrease high levels of testosterone.
Weight Lifting: I love talking to patients about weight lifting. Building muscle is a fantastic way to improve insulin sensitivity, which is a must in PCOS.
If you suspect you may have PCOS, speak with your healthcare provider to learn more. Your body is powerful and, given time and the right tools, can easily return to balance.
