Polycistic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) - Everything You Need to Know

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What is Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)?

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) is a hormone imbalance that can affect women during their reproductive years. The exact cause is unknown, but it is believed to be caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors are believed to be involved. Hormones involved in PCOS include:

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Androgens: All females make androgens (like DHEA and testosterone), but women with PCOS often have higher androgen levels. High androgen levels can lead to oily skin, acne, unwanted hair growth on the face and neck, thinning hair on the top of the head, and irregular periods.

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Insulin: Insulin helps cells in the body absorb glucose (sugar) for energy. In PCOS, the body isn’t as responsive to insulin as it should be. This is called insulin resistance. Over time, this lack of response to insulin means the body must make more and more insulin to get the same amount of glucose into the cells. If not, your body will constantly have elevated blood glucose levels and you will develop diabetes. Additionally, insulin worsens the side effects of high androgen levels and it causes inflammation throughout your entire body. Having constant inflammation causes damage to your body’s cells and blood vessels, which increases your chance of high blood pressure, heart disease, cancer, joint aches, and obesity over time.

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Estrogen and Progesterone: Estrogen and progesterone are the main hormones in the female body. They are made in the ovaries and work to balance each other out with the levels of each one varying depending on where you are in your menstrual cycle. In PCOS, progesterone levels are low and estrogen levels are high. This leads to infertility issues, irregular periods, and PMS symptoms.

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What Are The Symptoms Of PCOS?

PCOS symptoms can vary from person to person, but the most common symptoms are:

• Irregular Menstrual Cycles: Women with PCOS often go months at a time without a period and then bleed for longer than a week when they do have one.
• Excessive Hair Growth (Hirsutism): Excessive hair growth on the face, chin, back, or chest.
• Acne or Oily Skin
• Infertility: Due to the hormone imbalance, women with PCOS do not ovulate regularly, and, therefore, they have trouble conceiving a child.
• Cysts on the Ovaries: Due to the hormone imbalance, women with PCOS do not ovulate regularly, and, instead, develop multiple small cysts on the ovaries that can be seen on ultrasound.
• Weight Gain: Difficulty losing weight and/or easily gaining weight, especially around your abdomen.
• Fatigue: Due to a combination of insulin resistance and low progesterone levels, difficulties falling asleep, staying asleep, and having low energy levels during the day are common.
• Thinning hair on the Head: Hair loss along the temples and/or widening of the midline part of the hair.
• Darkening of skin: Insulin resistance can cause thick, dark, velvety patches of skin under your arms or breasts and along the back of your neck.
• Mood Changes: Low progesterone levels can lead to anxiety, irritability, and even panic attacks that worsen right before your period begins.

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How Do I Get Tested For PCOS?

If you suspect you have PCOS, the first step is to schedule a visit with one of our providers at Murrieta Health & Aesthetics to discuss your concerns. Our providers will take your medical history and perform a physical exam. This will include checking for excess hair growth and acne and performing a pelvic exam if you have not had one in the past year. Next, our providers will order blood work to check your hormone levels and assess you for insulin resistance and/or diabetes. They will also order an ultrasound to make sure your uterus and ovaries are normal.

After all your tests are complete, you will be scheduled for a follow-up visit to review all the results. You will be educated on your final diagnosis and given a personalized treatment plan by one of our providers.

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I Was Told Have PCOS – What Do I Do Now?

PCOS is a lifelong condition that can be addressed in many ways. Traditionally, women with PCOS are placed on birth control pills to mask the symptoms associated with the disease. This is an easy way to feel better, but symptoms return when the birth control pills are stopped. At Murrieta Health & Aesthetics, our providers focus on treating the underlying hormone imbalances and insulin resistance through a multi-faceted approach. This includes bioidentical progesterone replacement, diet and lifestyle changes, and medical-grade nutritional supplements. Over time PCOS can be reversed, but this requires you to work with a provider who is an expert in PCOS management, like Dr. Shehata

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What Lifestyle Changes Do I Need To Make If I Have PCOS?

To naturally treat your PCOS, you must maintain a normal body weight and reduce your body’s inflammation, stress, and insulin levels. This means:

• Eat regular meals that are high in protein and fat.
• Stop eating breads, pasta, rice, dessert, juice, and fruits high in sugar like grapes, bananas, oranges, and melons.
• Eat only complex carbs with high amounts of fiber like flax seeds, chia seeds, carrots, sweet potatoes, oatmeal, and beans.
• Minimize lactose (milk, cheese, and yogurt that isn’t plain).
• Minimize processed foods – if it comes in a box it is NOT good for you.
• Do not eat within 2-3 hours of sleep to make sure your food is fully digested.
• Intermittently fast for 12-15 hours a day if you are overweight (dinner until lunch the next day).
• Exercise 150 minutes (2 ½ hours) a week by walking for 10 minutes after every meal.
• Weight lift to increase your muscle mass, decrease your body fat, and reduce insulin resistance.
• Get a full 7-8 hours of sleep a night.
• Take time every morning and night to destress through meditation, coloring, reading a book, sitting outside and unplugging from your phone, spending time with those you love, or doing something you enjoy that does not involve eating, smoking, or drinking alcohol (as these habits have other long-term health consequences).
• Use high-quality supplements to help rebalance your hormones and replace the minerals your body needs to function properly.

If you have questions about how to reverse your PCOS through lifestyle changes and natural supplements, contact our office at (951) 600-7066 and make an appointment today.

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What Supplements Have Been Clinically Shown To Help PCOS?

At Murieta Health & Aesthetics, we prescribe a wide range of medical-grade supplements to help you reverse your PCOS. Medical-grade supplements vary from those available over-the-counter at a grocery store or pharmacy in that they are typically more potent because they are better quality with minimal fillers, preservatives, sugar, etc. Some of the supplements our providers use to treat PCOS include:

• Inositol: A 40:1 ratio of myo-inositol to D-inositol helps to decrease androgen and estrogen levels, reduce insulin resistance by promoting glucose uptake by your cells, promote ovulation and regular menstrual cycles, improve egg quality, improve mood, and decrease stress levels.
• N-Acetyl Cystine: An antioxidant that decreases inflammation, reduces insulin resistance, improves cholesterol levels, helps your body metabolize and eliminate excess estrogen and androgens, and aids in fat loss.
• Berberine: Some studies show a high dose of berberine is as effective as metformin at decreasing insulin resistance and improving fat loss without the same nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea often experienced with metformin use.
• Vitamin D: High vitamin D levels have been shown to reduce inflammation, improve immunity, increase energy levels, and promote normal hormone function.
• Zinc: High doses of zinc decrease inflammation, improve insulin resistance, and promote hormone metabolism, which reduces excess androgen and estrogen levels.
• DIM: Helps your body bind and metabolize excess estrogen.
• Fish Oil: An antioxidant that helps to reduce inflammation and improve the body’s response to stress.

To purchase supplements, click here: https://us.fullscript.com/welcome/mha4women

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I Have PCOS And Can’t Get Pregnant – Help!

Infertility is a common concern for women with PCOS because the estrogen and progesterone imbalance they experience prevents monthly ovulation and regular menstrual cycles. The frustration of the inability to track ovulation on a calendar is often heightened by the little-known fact that this hormone imbalance also causes ovulation test strips to be constantly “weakly positive” so it feels like they are about to drop an egg and might have a chance this month to get pregnant, but then they don’t. This often causes women with PCOS to spend years trying to conceive before they seek fertility help - but there is hope!

Infertility in women with PCOS is treatable, but it is important to seek help from a provider who is an expert in PCOS like our providers at Murrieta Health & Aesthetics. If you are struggling with infertility or have PCOS and would like to plan for pregnancy in the near future, call us today at (951) 600-7066 and schedule a consult with one of our providers.