, , , ,

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) - Emphasis on Syndrome

, , , ,
PCOS Winnipeg - Women's Health Winnipeg - Hormones Winnipeg

I’m willing to bet you’ve heard the term ‘PCOS’ before.

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS). The first thing I want to emphasize: it’s a syndrome – not all signs and symptoms show up in every individual with PCOS.

The Rotterdam Criteria is used to diagnose PCOS, requiring at least 2/3 of the following:

  • Hyperandrogenism (we’ll talk about what this means) (1)

  • Ovulatory dysfunction (ie. irregular periods – infrequent or absent periods) (1)

  • Polycystic ovaries (identified on ultrasound) (1)

Hyperandrogenism is associated with things like:

  • Acne/oily skin

  • Hirsutism (excessive hair growth that can appear in a male pattern, scored by the Ferriman-Gallwey)

  • Acanthosis nigricans

  • Androgenic alopecia

 

PCOS may also be associated with obesity, type II diabetes, dyslipidemia (issues with cholesterol), sleep apnea and depression. (2)

Women with PCOS often have issues with insulin resistance, regardless of being overweight or thin. I have seen a significant number of thin PCOS patients – being thin does NOT exclude you from the potential of PCOS.

PCOS is a common endocrine disorder in women and can have profound effects on cardiovascular health, fertility, and self-esteem.

 

The good news? There is so much that can be done with both conventional and naturopathic medicine. Lifestyle modification (diet, exercise) is considered a critical, primary therapy for PCOS. (3)

On top of looking at the clinical signs & symptoms, there are tons of laboratory tests that can be used to start investigating the potential of PCOS – if you’re suspicious, talk to your healthcare provider. 

 Reference(s):

(1)   PMID: 24151290

(2)   PMID: 20159883

(3)  PMID: 28570835

INTERESTED IN READING MORE?

Featured
Androgen Excess - Acne, Hair Growth & Hair Loss?

Androgens are often referred to as ‘male sex hormones,’ but they’re present in both men and women. When it comes to women, we hear the most about testosterone, DHEA-S and DHT.

Your Questions: Natural Approaches to Period Cramps?

Birth control is NOT the only option for painful (dysmenorrhea) and/or heavy periods (menorrhagia). And before jumping on a medication or supplement your HCP should always look into potential causes of extreme cramping – ie. endometriosis, fibroids, etc.

Prostaglandins are a major factor in menstrual cramps – once a month (when Aunt Flow comes to town) they cause uterine muscles to contract in order to release the uterine lining (endometrium). Prostaglandins aren’t bad (they are important for blood clots, inducing labour, etc.), but if certain prostaglandins are high in your cycle – this can predispose to more painful menstrual cramping.

How Alcohol Affects Your Hormones

So - the liver is responsible for detoxing alcohol. But it’s also important for metabolizing estrogen. In women, more than one alcoholic drink per day has been shown to increase circulation of androgens (ie. testosterone) and estrogens (1, 2) – this predisposes you to symptoms of estrogen dominance.

Your Morning Cup of Joe (or Tea!) and Iron Absorption

Are you taking your iron supplement with your morning cup of coffee or tea?

Telemedicine: Virtual Consults in Manitoba

I’m excited to share that in an effort to increase accessibility to naturopathic care, I am offering virtual consults to individuals who live in rural areas of Manitoba.

Perimenopause: The Shift into Menopause

Perimenopause: the hormonal shift, occurring over months-years, which transitions you into menopause.  ‘Peri’ means “around” or “near”, so - you get the point.

Using Food as Medicine to Address Stress

We’re stressed out, right? Well, the increased cortisol produced by stress makes us hungry - hungry for carbs, sugar and fat (and not the good kinds, okay?). If we follow suit and eat like this all the time we start to feel fatigued (and in desperately hoping for a caffeine boost), moody and may even start to find that we don’t think as clearly (some will call this ‘brain fog’). And stress forces our body to utilize a significant amount of nutrients to produce the energy we need to respond - even if our stress is created by sitting in front of a computer all day. 

Chilling Out Cortisol

Chronically stressed out? I won’t lie, me too.

 But yikes, that eventually catches up to you. Cortisol (aka our stress hormone) is important for our functioning (and our ability to adapt to stress) – but too much or too little can be problematic.

Do you know how to deal with chronically elevated cortisol?

Why Am I Losing Hair?

Taking your biotin pretty consistently and still losing hair?

Well, there’s a ton of reasons why your hair might be thinning out. Let’s investigate.

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) - Emphasis on Syndrome

I’m willing to bet you’ve heard the term ‘PCOS’ before.

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS). The first thing I want to emphasize: it’s a syndrome – not all signs and symptoms show up in every individual with PCOS.

So, how do you know if you have PCOS?