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PCOS and Adolescence: Does PCOS Affect Adolescent Girls?

Woman looking Stressed about PCOS.This website includes an abundance of research and detailed information on Insulin Resistance and PCOS and the many related symptoms associated with these disorders. In order to provide you easy choices in learning about PCOS as it relates to teenage girls, we've provided "a Short Version" of the key information to help you more effectively manage your PCOS. For those of you who wish to read more in-depth information on PCOS and adolescents, please read "The Whole Story" below.

We have also included four boxes (links) that provide a pathway to easily navigate a few key pages on this site. Please choose whichever path is most useful to you.

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  • Take the PCOS
    Health Assessment
  • Introduction to
    the PCOS Five
    Step System
  • What to expect from
    and when
  • Sign-up and order
    the PCOS System



The Short Story Version"The Short Version"

  • PCOS and Adolescent girlsPCOS is one of the most common disorders of the female endocrine system, affecting 5-10 percent of all women of child-bearing age.
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  • Also known as Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, PCOS is reported to be a growing problem with adolescent girls.
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  • Teenagers can experience the full range of PCOS symptoms seen in more mature women, including irregular or completely absent periods.
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  • Insulin Resistance, an underlying cause in PCOS, might or might not be detectable in adolescents during the onset of PCOS symptoms.
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  • Research now shows that hormone imbalances caused by Insulin Resistance and PCOS predisposes women, including adolescent girls, to additional heath problems.
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  • There is a safe, natural solution to manage PCOS and its related symptoms.

PCOS and AdolescentsIf you are a teenager or the parent of a teenager, then understanding PCOS is important to your health and wellbeing. PCOS, also known as Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, is reported to be a growing problem with adolescent girls.1 It can be very difficult to diagnose PCOS in teenage girls because they often experience irregular or absent menses and acne.2 Insulin Resistance, an underlying cause of PCOS, might or might not be detectable in adolescents during the onset of PCOS symptoms. As a result, researchers report that Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome is often overlooked in this age group.3 This causes great concern among clinicians due to the potentially serious complications associated with this condition.

A Common Ovary Disorder

It is widely accepted that PCOS is a common reproductive endocrinological disorder in women.4 In a U.S. study, scientists reported that the prevalence of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome might be as high as 11.2 percent in women of reproductive years.5 Of that group, adolescent girls make up a large part.

Teenagers can experience the full range of the PCOS symptoms that are often seen in more mature women, including irregular or completely absent periods, heavier-than-normal menstrual bleeding, ovarian cysts, hirsutism (excessive facial or body hair), and alopecia (male pattern baldness). Other symptoms can range from acne, skin tags (growths on the skin), and brown skin patches, to reduced sex drive, exhaustion, lack of mental alertness, depression, anxiety, sleep apnea (trouble breathing during sleeping), and thyroid problems.

In addition, as seen in their older counterparts, teens who are overweight are increasingly being linked with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome. While the pattern of irregular menses is often the first sign of PCOS in a teen, obesity, hirsutism and other symptoms can soon develop. While young girls can have some or all of the above symptoms, it is possible for just one of the symptoms to be present leading to the suspicion and diagnosis of PCOS in adolescents.2

Insulin Resistance Underlies PCOS

It is accepted that an underlying cause of PCOS is Insulin Resistance. PCOS can be detected in adolescent girls with testing, but researchers and clinicians alike admit it is often difficult to detect Insulin Resistance at a young age even with appropriate testing. Instead of relying on Insulin Resistance, clinicians are now looking very closely at the clinical picture (the symptoms that are present), weight, and family history in making the diagnosis of PCOS in teenagers.

If Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome and therefore Insulin Resistance are missed, serious complications can develop as the adolescent matures. But with proper management Insulin Resistance can be reversed.

A Multi-faceted Approach for PCOS and Insulin Resistance

At the present time there is no single remedy that will cure Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, but there are ways to address Insulin Resistance.

The Insulite PCOS System consists of five key elements, all designed to work together to address Insulin Resistance. The Insulite PCOS System is comprised of Nutritional Supplements (vitamins, minerals, amino acids, enzymes, and botanicals formulated to address specific conditons), diet and exercise guidelines, individualized support, and an accessible information source, all of which research shows to be essential for any lifestyle change.

The Nutritional Supplements of the Insulite PCOS System are designed to improve insulin sensitivity, help you manage your weight, correct your hormonal imbalances, and help manage the deleterious consequences of having elevated insulin. With a modified dosing schedule, girls as young as 12 can take the Insulite Nutritional Supplements.

You might be interested in some of our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on PCOS and the Insulite PCOS System.

Click here to read the PCOS Glossary

Click here to read about the Insulite
PCOS System Support Network

our stories Worldwide Read more

BG
Plymouth, MI
"I have been on the Insulite PCOS System for two months and I have noticed some very welcome changes!

I am getting better quality sleep, I do not wake and toss and turn and have disturbing [more]

Linda Anderson
Houston, TX
"Thank you for being so informative. I'm always amazed about the little known facts you make available. I'm doing my best to lose weight and live a healthier life." [more]

JM
West Hartford, CT
"I have been on the Insulite PCOS System for six or so weeks and have noticed a considerable decrease in food cravings; I have lost 15 pounds; I am having fewer migraines; and I have better control o [more]

References

Disclaimer

The Insulite Systems are not intended to be medical treatment, nor is information on this website intended to be a substitute for the advice or care of a health-care practitioner. Each Insulite System is a combination of nutritional supplement programs and lifestyle programs intended to help individuals better manage their health and wellbeing. Consult a health-care practitioner before beginning an Insulite System. Because of ongoing research, clinical experience, and the rapid accumulation of information relating to the subject matter discussed on this website, the website's users are advised to carefully review and evaluate the information on this website and continue to expand and broaden their knowledge of new information as it becomes available on this website and elsewhere. The use or application of the information contained on this website is at the sole discretion and risk of the user.


Written by: This website has been written by the research team at Insulite Health, a division of Insulite Laboratories. The members of the Insulite Health research team are experts in dealing with issues related to Insulin Resistance. Click here to learn more about the research team at Insulite Health.


Published by: This website is published by Insulite Laboratories. For more than a decade, Insulite Laboratories has been an authority on health conditions relating to Insulin Resistance, including PCOS. Find us on Google+