What is PCOS?

PCOS, which stands for Polycystic ovary syndrome is a common diagnosis related to the reproductive system in women [1–3]. Experts don’t know the exact cause of PCOS yet, but they’ve managed to determine that women who have it also suffer from insulin resistance (the body can’t use insulin as it should) and hyperandrogenism (which means having too much androgen in your body) [4-7].  

The symptoms of PCOS 

Women who have PCOS often suffer from acne, dark body hair where women don't commonly have hair, irregular menstruations, cysts in the ovaries (which can cause pain in the lower abdomen), infertility issues, type 2 diabetes, and potential heart disease [4–9].

Although the following symptoms are not as common, some studies have found that women with PCOS are more prone to suffer from psychological issues, like depression and anxiety [10].

Does PCOS Cause Weight Gain?

Although research doesn’t confirm that PCOS causes weight gain directly (at least not yet), the research does confirm that PCOS is often linked with Insulin Resistance - which can cause obesity; and research also confirms that there are more overweight & obese women that have PCOS, compared to women who don’t have it [11–13].

The PCOS Treatment

Many research papers confirm that PCOS is linked to androgen excess (which can cause infertility); and insulin resistance (which is linked to obesity), and stop there.  

Therefore, it’s been common practice to think of PCOS as a hormonal problem that needs to be addressed with hormonal therapy.  Common treatment options are Metformin, and oral contraceptives amongst others.  Although these treatment options have been known to decrease the level of androgen to a more normal level - and therefore help with fertility, these treatments have not been known to help with the other major problem of PCOS: insulin resistance and obesity [19].  

In my opinion, this makes it obvious that PCOS is likely more than just a hormone issue.  

This also explains why so many women still wonder why can’t I lose weight with PCOS? - Even if I’m receiving medication for it!

How to manage weight if you have PCOS

More recent scientific studies agree with this last point and have shifted their focus entirely.  They started to question whether treating the insulin resistance with an improved diet and lifestyle (exercise, and therapy) could improve women’s PCOS.

Or in other words, answer this question that so many women have been asking:  Can Weight Loss decrease PCOS symptoms?

One research in particular was able to show that weight loss (achieved by implementing a diet, regular exercises and habit changes) improves ALL the features of PCOS! So much so that now this is slowly becoming the first recommended treatment for PCOS before any medication [14,15].

Not only is weight loss and a healthier lifestyle good for PCOS in terms of treating insulin resistance and obesity, but it’s also proven to be better at lowering androgens and improving fertility [16, 17, & 19]!  

Can Weight Loss Cure PCOS? 

I think this is a loaded question considering scientists still don’t know what causes PCOS.  So, I won’t say yes to this one.  But can you lose weight with PCOS? The answer is definitely yes.  And if you’re asking whether weight loss can decrease PCOS symptoms to the point they no longer have an impact on your quality of life?  I would answer yes to that one as well.  

But remember, if you have PCOS and you want to lose weight, you can’t rely on medication, and you can’t just eat less either.  You need to modify the way you eat to target that insulin resistance, and you have to adopt healthier habits like doing regular exercise.  

How to lose weight with PCOS?

Women with PCOS need to tackle their weight loss the same way someone with type 2 diabetes would, because your body is likely resistant to insulin.  Normally, insulin helps your body turn your blood sugar into energy, but if your body is resistant to it, the excess sugar in your blood will likely turn into fat storage. 

What can you do? 

You can help your body maintain a low blood sugar level, which will reduce the need for insulin (helping to reverse the resistance to it).  By reducing your blood sugar levels, you will likely never have excess 

What else helps to lower blood sugar levels besides insulin?  

1. Fiber and Protein!  Both help to lower blood sugar levels without as much insulin.  
2. Regular Exercise, especially weight resistance!  Burning energy and increasing muscle strength both help your body lower your blood sugar levels without as much insulin. 

And, of course, you need to reduce your daily calorie intake to be in a deficit.  

How to make healthy habits stick?

This is all good Julie, but what if I can’t stay consistent with those healthy habits?

That is because you have never learned HOW to introduce healthy habits into your life so they can STICK!

You need to learn the science and the strategies behind MAINTAINING healthy habits

This is crucial because otherwise, you just pile on habits Willy Nelly, thinking they will stick but they don’t - because you don't know how to build them.  

It’s like wanting to build a brick wall, but only having bricks.  You can’t just pile a bunch of breaks on top of each other and expect to have a wall that stays up.  Your pile of bricks will topple over as soon as a big gust of wind comes in, or rain, or someone that walks by and bumps into it! 

You need mortar, you need a trowel, you need to know what position and what order to put your bricks in to have a good foundation. Then you can expect that wall to still be there in 6 months - even in 10 years!!

It’s the same thing with habits.  It’s not enough to know what habits to add to your life.  You need to know when, how, where to lay them so they can stick and still be there 6 months from now, 5 years from now!  

Does that make sense?  If it does, maybe you would like to know the other 3 mistakes people make when trying to lose weight!

I explain it all in my FREE Online Masterclass! Click HERE to Register!

Love Julie, Certified Health Coach

_REFERENCES:

_{1.March, W.A.; Moore, V.M.; Willson, K.J.; Phillips, D.I.; Norman, R.J.; Davies, M.J. The prevalence of polycystic ovary syndrome in a community sample assessed under contrasting diagnostic criteria. Hum. Reprod. 2010, 25, 544–551. [CrossRef] [PubMed]}

_{2.Asuncion, M.; Calvo, R.M.; San Millan, J.L.; Sancho, J.; Avila, S.; Escobar-Morreale, H.F. A prospective study of the prevalence of the polycystic ovary syndrome in unselected caucasian women from Spain. J. Clin.mEndocrinol. Metab. 2000, 85, 2434–2438. [CrossRef] [PubMed]}

_{3.Diamanti-Kandarakis, E.; Kouli, C.R.; Bergiele, A.T.; Filandra, F.A.; Tsianateli, T.C.; Spina, G.G.; Zapanti, E.D.; Bartzis, M.I. A survey of the polycystic ovary syndrome in the Greek island of Lesbos: Hormonal and metabolic profile. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 1999, 84, 4006–4011. [CrossRef] [PubMed]}

_{4.Stepto, N.K.; Cassar, S.; Joham, A.E.; Hutchison, S.K.; Harrison, C.L.; Goldstein, R.F.; Teede, H.J. Women with polycystic ovary syndrome have intrinsic insulin resistance on euglycaemic-hyperinsulaemic clamp. Hum. Reprod. 2013, 28, 777–784. [CrossRef] [PubMed]}

_{5.Moran, L.J.; Misso, M.L.; Wild, R.A.; Norman, R.J. Impaired glucose tolerance, type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome in polycystic ovary syndrome: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Hum. Reprod. Update 2010, 16, 347–363. [CrossRef] [PubMed]}

_{6.Teede, H.; Deeks, A.; Moran, L. Polycystic ovary syndrome: A complex condition with psychological, reproductive and metabolic manifestations that impacts on health across the lifespan. BMC Med. 2010, 8, 1–10. [CrossRef] [PubMed]}

_{7.Wild, R.A.; Carmina, E.; Diamanti-Kandarakis, E.; Dokras, A.; Escobar-Morreale, H.F.; Futterweit, W.; Lobo, R.; Norman, R.J.; Talbott, E.; Dumesic, D.A. Assessment of cardiovascular risk and prevention of cardiovascular disease in women with the polycystic ovary syndrome: A consensus statement by the Androgen Excess and Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (AE-PCOS) Society. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 2010, 95, 2038–2049. [CrossRef] [PubMed]} 

_{8.Broekmans, F.J.; Knauff, E.A.H.; Valkenburg, O.; Laven, J.S.; Eijkemans, M.J.; Fauser, B. PCOS according to the Rotterdam consensus criteria: Change in prevalence among WHO-II anovulation and association with metabolic factors. BJOG 2006, 113, 1210–1217. [CrossRef] [PubMed]}

_{9.Boomsma, C.M.; Eijkemans, M.J.; Hughes, E.G.; Visser, G.H.; Fauser, B.C.; Macklon, N.S. A meta-analysis of pregnancy outcomes in women with polycystic ovary syndrome. Hum. Reprod. Update 2006, 12, 673–683. [CrossRef] [PubMed]}

_{10.Barry, J.A.; Kuczmierczyk, A.R.; Hardiman, P.J. Anxiety and depression in polycystic ovary syndrome: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Hum. Reprod. 2011, 26, 2442–2451. [CrossRef] [PubMed] syndrome patients. Neuroendocrinology 2009, 89, 131–139. [CrossRef] [PubMed]}

_{11.Lim, S.S.; Davies, M.J.; Norman, R.J.; Moran, L.J. Overweight, obesity and central obesity in women with polycystic ovary syndrome: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Hum. Reprod. Update 2012, 18, 618–637. [CrossRef] [PubMed]}

_{12.Yildiz, B.O.; Bozdag, G.; Yapici, Z.; Esinler, I.; Yarali, H. Prevalence, phenotype and cardiometabolic risk of polycystic ovary syndrome under different diagnostic criteria. Hum. Reprod. 2012, 27, 3067–3073. [CrossRef] [PubMed] Nutrients 2017, 9, 996 17 of 19}

_{13.Teede, H.J.; Joham, A.E.; Paul, E.; Moran, L.J.; Loxton, D.; Jolley, D.; Lombard, C. Longitudinal weight gain in women identified with polycystic ovary syndrome: Results of an observational study in young women. Obesity 2013, 21, 1526–1532. [CrossRef] [PubMed]}

_{14 Moran, L.J.; Pasquali, R.; Teede, H.J.; Hoeger, K.M.; Norman, R.J. Treatment of obesity in polycystic ovary syndrome: A position statement of the Androgen Excess and}