It’s estimated that about 1 in 10 women worldwide suffer from Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, yet few know or have even heard of the condition. PCOS is a genetic disorder that causes hormonal imbalance in women leading to an array of overarching symptoms that affect their lives in a multitude of ways. The majority of symptoms can be traced back to two underlying processes, high androgen (male sex hormone) levels in the blood, as well as high insulin levels in the blood.
High Androgen Levels can cause:
- Hair loss
- Acne
- Infertility
- Irregular menstrual cycles
While high insulin levels lead to
- Insulin resistance
- Weight gain
- Feelin tired or sleepy
- Carb cravings
- Acanthosis Nigricans (patches of dark skin)
- Skin tags
(Click here to learn more about insulin resistance, its many causes, how its related to weight gain, and signs that you may have it.)
Not only can PCOS lead to struggles with weight management and infertility, but it also increases the risk of developing several other conditions, including:
- Dyslipidemia: a metabolic abnormality where cholesterol levels are high.
- Insulin Resistance: 50-75% of women with PCOS have insulin resistance, a condition where the body needs to produce higher amounts of insulin to trigger the desired response.
- Impaired glucose tolerance: women with PCOS have a 2.5-fold higher rate of prevalence
- Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: women with PCOS have a fourfold higher rate of prevalence
How is PCOS diagnosed? And When?
Although symptoms of PCOS begin to show as soon as young girls hit puberty, it can be difficult to diagnose and often goes undetected for years. This is due to the fact that so many of the PCOS symptoms mentioned above are typically common amongst young women, so its often ignored as a typical sign of puberty. To make matters worse, not all women with PCOS present with the same symptoms. Meaning that while one PCOS patient may be dealing with acne and irregular menstrual cycles, another may be dealing with rapid weight gain and hair loss. Oftentimes we find that women are not diagnosed until later in life, typically when they start family planning but find that conception is taking longer than they had anticipated. Below are a list of 3 diagnostic criteria, to be diagnosed with PCOS a patient must exhibit 2 of the 3 signs.
- High androgen levels (presents as acne, hair loss, extra hair growth on the face)
- Polycystic ovaries
- Ovulatory dysfunction (no menstruation, or very few menstrual cycles in a year)
Additionally, the following lab tests are typically found to be elevated in women with PCOS, and can be used to diagnose and/or monitor one’s progress and condition.
- Free testosterone
- Total testosterone
- Luteinizing Hormone to Follicle Stimulating Hormone ratio (LH-FSH)
- DHEA sulfate
- Fasting glucose
- Fasting insulin
- TSH and thyroid peroxidase antibodies
- CRP
- Lipid profile
- Liver functions tests
- Oral glucose tolerance test
If you suspect you may have Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, speak to your health care provider and ask for the proper tests to be done. Getting diagnosed earlier in life gives you the advantage of managing the root of the problem, before symptoms worsen, and implementing positive and healthy lifestyle behaviors that will greatly impact your quality of life.
Take your first step towards managing your PCOS symptoms today, book a free 15-minute discovery call with one of our dietitians.