Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is an endocrine condition that affects 1 in 10 women with ovaries of reproductive age, but is different for all.
Common signs and symptoms include irregular menstrual cycles, elevated testosterone levels, follicles on the ovaries, acne, facial hair growth, and so-called male pattern baldness, but regardless of your symptoms, healthy lifestyle changes such as a good diet. Balanced and regular exercise can help.
How does it relate to metabolic health?
PCOS remains somewhat of a mystery. The interesting thing is that we still don't fully understand what its real cause is.
Risk factors are different depending on the type of syndrome, but family history and genetics definitely play a role. If you have a mother or sister with PCOS, you also have a higher chance of developing the condition.
Although there isn't much we can do to alter our genes, there are steps you can take to alleviate its signs and symptoms.
An example is treating insulin resistance with healthy lifestyle choices, including diet and physical activity.
People with insulin resistance have increased insulin production in the body. This hormone is known to stimulate testosterone production in certain cells of the ovaries. This testosterone generally converts to estrogen for people with ovaries, according to a December 2013 study in the Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. However, after a certain point, the body cannot make estrogen from all the excess testosterone.
Not all people with polycystic ovary syndrome will have insulin resistance, but many do. An estimated 65 to 70 percent of people with PCOS have it, according to a January 2012 article in Fertility and Sterility.
We do not yet know if insulin resistance is what causes PCOS or the other way around. It's probably both, which means that in some women it is one way and in others it is the other way around.
The result is excessive circulating insulin, elevated testosterone, and potential side effects of both (such as weight gain and facial hair, among others). Fortunately, treating insulin resistance can improve PCOS symptoms. When you lower insulin, you can decrease testosterone production. This can also help promote weight loss.
How can diet help PCOS symptoms?
The syndrome is very individualized. Nutrition can play an important role in treating PCOS, especially if insulin resistance leads to elevated androgen levels. Addressing elevated insulin levels through nutrition can improve symptoms and regulate periods.
You will need to consider the diet you choose. Intermittent fasting, for example, is not a good idea, as we want to keep blood sugar levels stable throughout the day for people with insulin resistance.
For some, nutritional interventions may be all they need to treat the insulin resistance associated with PCOS. For others, additional therapies such as a low-dose birth control pill and / or metformin (a prescription drug that helps control insulin and blood sugar levels) may be needed.
Whether you take medication or not, healthy eating and regular physical activity pay off. A good diet and exercise habits can reduce the dose of medicine a woman needs, or simply help improve symptoms of PCOS in general.
What are the best foods for polycystic ovary syndrome?
There is no single diet plan for PCOS, but there are some simple dietary changes that it doesn't hurt to try.
Ideally, prioritize foods high in protein, fiber, and unsaturated fats , and add non-starchy vegetables that are nice. This food combination is great if someone is experiencing inflammation and insulin resistance.
Also add good fats to your plate. Unsaturated fats found in fish, nuts, and seeds can help improve hormonal balance in people with PCOS.
The combination of protein, fiber and fat
Here are some examples of foods you can try:
- Baked salmon (protein and unsaturated fat) with salad (non-starchy vegetables) and quinoa (fiber and protein)
- Grilled chicken (protein) combined with brown rice (fiber) and roasted vegetables (non-starchy vegetables) with avocado (unsaturated fat)
The nutritional advice if you have PCOS echo the recommendations for almost everyone:
- Give priority to whole foods
- Eat fruit and vegetables
- Choose high-quality lean protein sources (think: fish, lean meats, tofu, eggs, legumes, nuts, and seeds)
- Incorporate healthy fats like those found in fatty fish, nuts and seeds, olive oil, and avocado.
It may also help to limit excess added sugars and add more unrefined whole grains , such as oatmeal, brown rice, farro, quinoa, and 100 percent whole grain bread, to your plate to minimize the risk or severity of insulin resistance. .
Are there foods to avoid with PCOS? Forbidden food
Women with PCOS are best focused on having a balanced diet with foods they enjoy rather than focusing on limiting and avoiding foods. It is advisable to refrain from forbidding food.
High amounts of added sugar or refined carbohydrates can affect insulin resistance, but approaching nutritional changes by being hyper-focused on cutting down and eliminating these foods is generally not very effective in managing PCOS in the long term.
This is because focusing on elimination can increase cravings and instead promote overeating over time.
Why shouldn't you just focus on losing weight?
The connection between SOP and weight is complicated. Reaching a healthy weight can contribute to positive health outcomes, such as improved fertility, maximum drug efficacy, and decreased insulin resistance for some people with PCOS.
But the key is to focus on health-promoting behaviors, like diet changes, rather than a number on the scale. Emphasizing weight loss above all else can compromise results for people with PCOS, which can lead to:
Hormonal damage
When someone focuses on losing weight, they are more likely to restrict calories, eliminate food groups, and exercise excessively, all of which can actually damage hormones and make PCOS symptoms worse.
Hormones are already out of control in people with PCOS. Adding unnecessary stress to the body, whether in the form of excessive exercise or prolonged severe calorie restriction, could lead to elevated cortisol levels . And those higher cortisol levels can, in turn, exacerbate polycystic ovary syndrome symptoms like amenorrhea (missed periods), according to a March 2015 review in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism.
Cycles in weight
What's more, calorie restriction (dieting) often results in a weight cycle, meaning that people repeatedly lose weight, then regain it, and usually gain weight as well.
The weight cycle is associated with increased insulin resistance, which can further exacerbate the symptoms of PCOS.
It's also important to note: experts don't know exactly why, but weight loss can be even more difficult to achieve for people with PCOS.
Binge
The restriction also increases the risk of binge eating, which is common among people with PCOS. In fact, people with PCOS were found to be three times more likely to be diagnosed with an eating disorder compared to people without PCOS, according to a May 2019 meta-analysis in Neuropsychiatric Illness and Treatment.
If you feel like you are always hungry, that you are always thinking about food, or you find yourself overeating at night, check to see if you are eating enough during the day.
