There are so many women fighting the battle with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) or also known as Stein Leventhal Syndrome. The incidence is 1 out of 10 women, with varying degrees of severity of the disease.
What is PCOS
PCOS is a condition with multiple cysts in the ovaries.
Under normal circumstances, at the start of each monthly menstrual cycle, eggs begin to develop in the ovaries (called follicles). Several follicles begin to develop but ultimately only one egg develops to full maturity. Once the egg is mature, there is a sudden rise of a certain hormone released by the pituitary gland in the brain called Luteinising Hormone (LH). It stimulates the release of the egg into the uterus(womb). This process is called ovulation. The ovaries are also responsible for releasing oestrogen, progesterone(the female hormones) and a small amount of testosterone(male hormones).
However, in women with PCOS, the LH levels are higher than normal and there is no sudden rise in the hormone to signal the release the egg from the ovary. As a result, no ovulation takes place. Therefore periods are irregular. Characteristically, women with PCOS also have insulin resistance. Insulin is a vital hormone produced in the pancreas which helps with blood sugar control, fat metabolism and protein metabolism. Insulin resistance, on the other hand, is a condition where the body does not respond to the normal levels of insulin. Higher insulin levels are needed by the body.
The increased levels of LH and insulin in the body stimulate the ovaries to produce more testosterone, or male hormones. These imbalance of hormones give the women suffering from PCOS the undesirable effects seen.
Symptoms of PCOS
- irregular periods
- unwanted hair growth, eg facial hair
- acne
- weight gain or difficulty losing weight
- infertility
Insulin resistance
Insulin, as I mentioned before, is actually a vital hormone in the body. It plays a role in the control of blood sugar and is released by the pancreas in response to high sugar in the blood. Its main purpose is to get “rid” of the excess sugar in the blood stream. Energy from the sugar tends to get stored in the cells to be used later. This energy is stored in the form of glycogen. Once the glycogen stores are filled up, the excess energy is stored in the fat cells. Insulin has the effect of “turning off” fat burning and promoting fat storage. It however has a role in suppressing food intake as well. So, as you can see, it is vital in energy balance. However, in insulin resistance, the body is unable “listen” to this vital hormone and higher than normal levels of this hormone is seen circulating in the blood stream. As a result, your body is unable to correctly “interpret” messages from the insulin and tends toward fat storage.
Risks with PCOS
- increased risk of diabetes mellitus, high blood pressure, high cholesterol. As a result of this, an increased risk of heart disease
- increased incidence of cancer of the lining of the uterus(womb) – due to absent or irregular periods for many years.
Treatment for weight loss
The main treatment for PCOS has always been healthy weight loss. A healthy diet with low glycaemic nutrition and physical exercise have been the mainstay of treatment for a long time.
Reducing stress levels, especially the cortisol hormone is also very beneficial. Increased cortisol hormones promotes insulin resistance.
Treatments options and other causes/effects of PCOS will be further discussed in my next article on PCOS. Follow the next article, entitled “PCOS – The Battle with Weight Loss 2″
Tags: Stein Leventhal Syndrome, insulin, insulin resistance, PCOS, Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, weight loss, multiple cysts, Luteinising Hormone, diabetes mellitus
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PCOS makes it so hard to lose weight! I was finally given Metformin to control my glucose levels and the weight is slowly coming off. Thanks for the article!
You have nicely explained risks, symptoms and treatments of polycystic ovary syndrome. Thanks.
Hi, nice post. I have been wondering about this topic,so thanks for sharing. I’ll definitely be subscribing to your site.
Hi, good post. I have been wondering about this topic,so thanks for posting. I’ll certainly be subscribing to your posts.