 Are
you confused about your diagnosis of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome because
you are lean? A common misconception is that everyone with PCOS is overweight, but this is not always the case. In fact, at least
half of women diagnosed with this condition are of normal weight; some are even underweight.
Insulin Resistance
While Insulin Resistance is generally thought to be the underlying cause
of PCOS, there is disagreement in the medical community about whether thin
women with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome suffer from the same degree of Insulin
Resistance as their heavier counterparts.
It's important to understand that the array of PCOS symptoms like irregular,
painful periods, infertility, elevated testosterone levels and Insulin
Resistance among others, can be highly individualized. Even in cases where
insulin levels are normal, a woman's ovaries can still be stimulated by
hormonal sensitivities to over-produce testosterone.
 Studies
have shown that insulin resistance can be present in both lean and obese
women with PCOS, indicating to researchers that there may be other factors
affecting the imbalance in the insulin/glucose mechanism. And although
doctors may not want to use the term "Insulin Resistance" because
of the absence of obesity, nonetheless, thin women with Polycystic Ovarian
Syndrome have higher insulin levels in their blood than those without PCOS,
as pointed out by a 2004 article, "Insulin Sensitivity in Women with
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome" published in The Journal of Clinical
Endocrinology and Metabolism (1).
To further complicate the matter, oral contraceptives are commonly prescribed
to women with PCOS, regardless of their weight, a practice that can raise
the risk of weight gain. Increased weight has been positively linked to
an increased risk for Insulin Resistance and many of the other problems
associated with glucose and insulin metabolism such as diabetes and cardiovascular
disease.
Similar Health Risks
 It
is very clear to experts that Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome symptoms in lean women present the same
increased health risks. In a comparable study published in The Endocrinology
Journal in October, 2004 (2), researchers indicated that a group of
lean women with PCOS showed an increased risk of
cardiovascular disease and infertility when compared to a matched, control
group of healthy women without the disorder.
It appears then, that women with "lean PCOS" have much in common
with their heavier counterparts. They both exhibit, in varying degrees,
the symptoms of elevated testosterone, and Insulin Resistance and excess
insulin levels in their blood. This was confirmed in a study reported in
the 2005 issue of The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism (3),
concluding that these women may be just as at-risk for cardiovascular disease
as heavier women.
 Fortunately,
the symptoms of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome can be better managed or even reversed in both lean
and heavy women. Healthy whole foods and a tailored system of supplements
and physical activity can help women with PCOS prevent complications like
hypertension and Diabetes and can be a doorway to a better life for women
of all sizes with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome.
You may be interested in some of our Frequently
Asked Questions (FAQs) on PCOS and the Insulite PCOS System.
(1) Insulin
Sensitivity in Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
– Vrbikova and associates, The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology
and Metabolism, 2004. PMID: 15181081
(2) Endothelial
Dysfunction in Young Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome:
Relationship with Insulin Resistance and Low-Grade Chronic Inflammation
– Tarkun et al., The Endocrinology Journal, October 2004
(3) Predictors
of Endothelial Dysfunction in Young Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
– Kravariti and colleagues The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology
and Metabolism. 2005
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