Women with PCOS are at Greater Risk for Metabolic Syndrome
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Women suffering from Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS), one of the most common causes of female infertility in the U.S., also have more chance of developing cardiovascular disease.Research published in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, published by The Endocrine Society, shows that Metabolic Syndrome (Syndrome X), a cluster of increased risk factors for a heart attack or stroke, is more prevalent in women with PCOS (1).
Women with both Metabolic Syndrome and PCOS also exhibit greater hormonal and menstrual cycle irregularity than women with just PCOS. “These findings indicate that women with PCOS should automatically be screened for Metabolic Syndrome to prevent the risk of early-onset cardiovascular disease,” said senior study author Dr. John Nestler, Professor of Medicine at the Medical College of Virginia. After reviewing medical charts for 161 women, study investigators identified 106 women (46 women with PCOS and Metabolic Syndrome, plus 60 women with PCOS alone) for participation and analysis. The study revealed that women with PCOS are nearly twice as likely to have Metabolic Syndrome in comparison with women without PCOS in the general population. Women demonstrating the characteristics of both PCOS and Metabolic Syndrome were found to also have more severe Insulin Resistance. The symptoms of PCOS can vary widely from woman to woman. In addition to infertility, the symptoms can include irregular or completely absent periods, cysts (water-filled sacs) on the ovaries, excessive facial or body hair, male pattern hair loss in women, obesity, acne, skin tags and brown skin patches, general tiredness and reduced sex drive. (1) Study Finds that Women with PCOS are at Increased Risk for Cardiovascular Disease. The Endocrine Society:News:Press Release
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What can women do for PCOS and weight loss, now metabolic syndrome how do you get tested for this as well and is there any thing we can do for it
Hi Sharita,
I posed your questions to Dr. Sari Cohen, ND, a member of the Medical & Advisory team for Insulite Laboratories. Her response is below.
Your Editor
Dr. Cohen writes:
Those are great questions, Sharita. It can be difficult for women with PCOS to lose weight because of the Insulin Resistance that underlies PCOS. The interactions of Insulin Resistance, PCOS and obesity are complex and still under investigation as to which comes first.
Insulin Resistance contributes to obesity and is an underlying cause of PCOS, but obesity in turn worsens Insulin Resistance, which then has an effect on the development of PCOS. To read more about PCOS and weight gain, check out the following link:
http://www.pcos.insulitelabs.com/PCOS-Weight-Gain.php
An effective way to help PCOS is to lose weight- easier said than done! Changing your diet and exercise patterns is the first step. Eating a low carbohydrate and whole foods diet is one approach. To be specific, women with PCOS should reduce or eliminate refined carbohydrates like cookies, pastries, white bread, and high sugar foods, replacing them with vegetables and lean protein. A “whole foods diet” refers to one that concentrates on fresh fruit and vegetables and lean protein, along with avoiding processed, packaged, and refined food. The goal is to eat foods close to their natural, unrefined state.
Here’s an interesting link about diet and exercise for women with PCOS:
http://www.pcos.insulitelabs.com/Insulite-PCOS-System-Nutrition-and-Exercise-Plans.php
As you read in the previous post, Insulin Resistance is associated with Metabolic Syndrome as well as PCOS. As far as testing for Metabolic Syndrome, it is characterized by having at least 3 of the following symptoms:
Insulin Resistance (fasting insulin blood test over 9 or 10 ng/dl),
Abdominal fat (in women, a waistline of 35 inches or larger),
High blood sugar levels (at least 110 mg/dL after fasting),
High triglycerides (at least 150 mg/dL),
Low HDL (less than 50 mg/dL if female),
Prothrombotic state (e.g. high fibrinogen or plasminogen activator inhibitor in the blood),
Blood pressure of 130/85 mmHg or higher.
There is currently no single pill that will cure Metabolic Syndrome, just as there are no drugs that will cure PCOS. But there are ways to address Insulin Resistance, the underlying cause of these conditions and PCOS symptoms. You can combine nutraceuticals (vitamins, herbs and minerals that are disease specific), a realistic exercise program, nutritional guidance and a support system that will help you change unhealthy lifestyle choices.
Here’s a link about PCOS and Metabolic Syndrome:
http://www.pcos.insulitelabs.com/PCOS-and-Metabolic-Syndrome-X.php
I guess ultimately, it just comes down to self-control and determination, something that I do not have. Coupled with the fact that I have a 2 year old and I am TTC #2, I find it difficult to even eat, let alone healthy.
can I use bc pills to help feminize my body….i have pcos and have been on spironolcacone and it has helped my face is smaller and i look like i’ve lost a bundle of weitht…ive lost 15 lbs and do a low card diet…i have always had a regular cycle so my dr put me on bc to help with the “maleness” of my body…what do you think about using bc for that reason. if still not a good choice then what…the andogens do work, but i feel more help with bc pills will help even more…by making my breast to grow maybe help the spironolactone by adding more femaleness which will say to my body hey she’s a girl not a boy!!! my facial hair is less, but maybe it will be even less with bc pills…I don’t have any symtome for the pills to hide…i know excatily what my body is doing and has done to me and i’m chnaging it.
k
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Dear Kim,
Thanks for posting on our blog! I suppose that theoretically birth
control pills could work to produce feminine curves, but I have not
seen them used that way and so do not know the success rate of such a
treatment strategy.
I do want to point out that birth control pills
could also make the androgenization (that is, the masculine symptoms)
worse! I recently read a few articles about how birth control pills
can cause more androgens (male hormones, like testosterone and DHEA)
to form. This is probably because excess estrogen can get converted
to testosterone. In addition, birth control pills are associated with
other side effects and risks, and they don’t correct the underlying
problems of PCOS, rather they mask the symptoms. In other words, once
you stop using birth control pills, the symptoms of PCOS would return;
it’s not a cure.
In my opinion, it makes more sense to decrease the androgens in your
body by reversing the insulin resistance that underlies PCOS. Aim to
address the root cause of the problem! As you may know, one of the
major causes of PCOS is insulin resistance. With insulin resistance,
the body becomes insensitive to the insulin it produces, which leads
to elevated circulating levels of insulin.
This in turn leads to hormonal imbalances such as increased testosterone and other
androgens. It is the hormonal imbalances which cause the masculine
symptoms as well as irregular periods seen in PCOS.
Elevated insulin also contributes to other symptoms of PCOS like
ovarian cysts and weight gain. Losing weight helps to improve insulin
sensitivity, and vice versa: becoming more sensitive to your insulin
helps you to lose weight. You can read more about PCOS at the website,
http://www.pcos.insulitelabs.com.
In addition to being informative about PCOS, this website also has information about the Insulite PCOS System
which uses herbs, nutrients, and a diet and exercise program to help
reverse PCOS symptoms.
You know, if you really want to try hormones, bio-identical hormones
might be a good option and they can be formulated to what your body actually
needs. You would have your hormones tested by a doctor (naturopathic
doctors routinely do this) and then a compounding pharmacist would
formulate a hormone treatment based on those results.
Take care and good luck!
Best wishes,
Dr. Sari Cohen, ND
Insulite Laboratories Medical & Advisory team
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