Are you one of the millions of women struggling with PCOS? Polycystic ovary syndrome, or PCOS, is a hormonal disorder that affects around 1 in 10 women. It can cause a range of symptoms, from irregular periods and fertility issues to acne and weight gain. If you're experiencing these symptoms, it's important to understand the underlying causes, and find effective relief!
In this blog, we'll dive deep into the world of PCOS, exploring its symptoms and offering practical solutions to help you manage this condition. From lifestyle changes and dietary adjustments to medical treatments and natural remedies, we'll cover the most promising science-backed approaches to finding relief.
Understanding your PCOS symptoms is the first step towards taking control of your health. Armed with knowledge and practical strategies, you can reduce the impact of PCOS on your daily life and improve your overall well-being. So, if you're ready to seek solutions and reclaim your vitality, keep reading. Relief is within reach!
What is PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome)?
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a complex hormonal disorder that affects 5% to 20% of females of reproductive age. It is one of the most common endocrine disorders, often associated with menstrual cycle disruption, insulin resistance, high levels of androgens (like testosterone), acne and infertility.
While the exact causes of PCOS are not fully understood, it is believed to be influenced by a combination of genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors. There is also a relationship between our gut microbiome and PCOS. By addressing these underlying factors, you can take proactive steps to manage symptoms and improve overall health and well-being.
Diagnosing PCOS
The most widely accepted diagnostic criteria for PCOS are the Rotterdam criteria, which require the presence of at least two of the following three features:
- irregular or absent menstrual periods
- excess androgen (male hormone) production
- polycystic ovaries on ultrasound.
Additionally, healthcare providers may order blood tests to measure hormone levels, assess insulin resistance, and rule out other potential underlying conditions.
Some other symptoms associated with PCOS include:
- Fatigue
- Vitamin D Deficiency
- Acne
- MTHFR gene mutation
- Sleep Disturbances
- Infertility
- Male pattern hair growth (hirsutism)
- Increased Anxiety and Depression
- High Cholesterol
- Difficulty losing weight
- Increased risk of certain health conditions, such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and sleep apnoea
It's important to note that the diagnostic process for PCOS can be challenging, as some of the symptoms can be common in women without the condition. Healthcare providers should consider the patient's medical history, symptoms, and laboratory findings. In some cases, a referral to an endocrinologist or reproductive specialist may be necessary to ensure an accurate diagnosis.
The Gut Microbiome in PCOS
The community of microorganisms living in the digestive tract may play a significant role in the development and management of PCOS. The gut microbiome is known to influence various physiological processes, including hormone regulation, inflammation, and insulin sensitivity.
Studies have shown that women with PCOS often have an imbalance in the composition of their gut microbiome, with a reduced diversity of beneficial bacteria and an overgrowth of certain harmful species. This dysbiosis, or microbial imbalance, can contribute to the development of insulin resistance, chronic inflammation, and the hormonal disruptions associated with PCOS.
Interestingly, the gut microbiome may also be influenced by the PCOS itself, creating a bidirectional relationship between the two. As our gut microbiome impacts PCOS, improving the diversity of the gut microbiome is an effective strategy to manage PCOS. Want more regular periods, improved fertility, and better hormone balance? It starts in the gut!
Managing PCOS symptoms
Implementing lifestyle change is a cornerstone of PCOS management, as it can help address the underlying factors that contribute to the condition. By focusing on nutrition, exercise, and stress management, women with PCOS can take an active role in managing their symptoms and reducing their risk of associated health complications.
Prebiotics for PCOS
Prebiotics are essentially the ignition source for promoting the growth of beneficial bacteria in your gut. They are non-digestible, fermentable components of foods, and it is likely that you have already eaten some today.
Your gut microbiota love to break down prebiotics as a fuel source to create all the health promoting compounds that support PCOS symptom management
By promoting a diverse gut microbiome, prebiotics can help support hormone balance, reduce inflammation, and improve insulin sensitivity, all of which are important factors in PCOS management.
Positive changes in the gut microbiome following prebiotic supplementation reduce circulating levels of testosterone, and improve cardiac and metabolic health.
Our Microbiome Essentials formulation contains multiple prebiotics proven to nurture a diverse gut community, support blood sugar regulation for metabolic health and reduce inflammation to support symptoms of PCOS. By nurturing your microbiome daily you might just even find your period returns regularly!
"Thank you so much, your products are amazing!! After struggling with PCOS I honestly believe your products have helped me conceive naturally."
Alison
Move Your Body - Exercise and PCOS
While diet is a potent modulator of your gut microbiome, exercise can also improve the diversity of your gut community for managing PCOS symptoms.
Exercise can increase the proportion of beneficial bacteria living in your gut, increasing production of compounds that dampen PCOS pathology and promote health and regular periods. With the changes in your gut microbiome, regular exercise can restore ovulation, lower androgens and improve insulin sensitivity.
Regular aerobic exercise and strength training is a powerful combination to nurture your gut microbiome to reduce inflammation, balance hormones and boost metabolism but also to improve psychological well-being in women with PCOS.
Sleep
Interventions to improve sleep are going to support you in reducing fatigue and having energy reserves to successfully implement lifestyle strategies.
Sleep also supports insulin sensitivity and healthy blood sugar levels. It is so impactful that sleep disruption can have a greater impact on insulin resistance than a high high-fat diet!
Our transition to sleep is controlled within our brain but did you know that your gut microbiota can communicate with your brain? If you have a healthy, diverse gut microbiota levels of gut inflammation are lower and this has been shown to promote sleep.
In combination with exercise, reducing stimulants like coffee in the evening and avoiding bright light from a screen, prebiotics have been shown to boost the production of neuroactive metabolites by your gut microbiota to improve sleep and stress resilience. Our Cacao Latte contains clinically proven prebiotics at effective doses shown to reduce fatigue upon waking and reduce the time it takes to fall asleep.
Supplements for PCOS
One of the most commonly prescribed medications for PCOS is metformin, a drug originally developed for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. Metformin works by improving insulin sensitivity and reducing the production of androgens (male hormones), which can help alleviate PCOS symptoms such as irregular periods, acne, and hirsutism.
Metformin often comes with some unpleasant gastrointestinal side effects (nausea, diarrhoea, flatulence, bloating, metallic taste, and abdominal pain), but there is a safe alternative approach that has proven as effective as a metformin.
This natural compound is called myo-inositol. Myo-inositol is considered as effective as metformin in the regulation of IR, menstrual cycle irregularities, and hyperandrogenism in women with PCOS, without the unpleasant gastrointestinal side effects.
Prebiotics have been shown to increase intestinal absorption of myo-inositol so if taking this supplement you can pair it with Microbiome Essentials for extra bioavailability.
Seeking solutions for PCOS relief
PCOS is a complex and multifaceted condition that can have a significant impact on physical, emotional, and reproductive health. However, with a comprehensive understanding of the underlying causes and a proactive approach to management, you can empower yourself to find relief and improve your overall well-being!
Restoring balance to your gut will set the path to reduce inflammation, lower androgens, regulate your immune system, enhance your metabolic health, increase resilience and dampen your PCOS symptoms.
Have you had your Fertile Gut goodness today?
References
Giampaolino P, Foreste V, Di Filippo C, Gallo A, Mercorio A, Serafino P, Improda FP, Verrazzo P, Zara G, Buonfantino C, Borgo M, Riemma G, Angelis C, Zizolfi B, Bifulco G, Della Corte L. Microbiome and PCOS: State-of-Art and Future Aspects. Int J Mol Sci. 2021 Feb 19;22(4):2048. doi: 10.3390/ijms22042048. PMID: 33669557; PMCID: PMC7922491.
Gudović A, Bukumirić Z, Milincic M, Pupovac M, Andjić M, Ivanovic K, Spremović-Rađenović S. The Comparative Effects of Myo-Inositol and Metformin Therapy on the Clinical and Biochemical Parameters of Women of Normal Weight Suffering from Polycystic Ovary Syndrome. Biomedicines. 2024 Feb 2;12(2):349. doi: 10.3390/biomedicines12020349. PMID: 38397951; PMCID: PMC10886614.
Laganà AS, Myers SH, Forte G, Naem A, Krentel H, Allahqoli L, Alkatout I, Unfer V. Inositols in treating polycystic ovary syndrome and non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus: now and the future. Expert Opin Drug Metab Toxicol. 2024 Jan-Feb;20(1-2):61-72. doi: 10.1080/17425255.2024.2306851. Epub 2024 Jan 22. PMID: 38226638.
Woodward A, Klonizakis M, Broom D. Exercise and Polycystic Ovary Syndrome. Adv Exp Med Biol. 2020;1228:123-136. doi: 10.1007/978-981-15-1792-1_8. PMID: 32342454.
