Why every 1 in 5 Women in India suffers from PCOS? (And what they need to know)

Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is a medical condition related to a woman’s endocrine system. Generally, this disorder is characterised by an imbalance of the sex hormones (oestrogen and progesterone), which leads to the development of multiple small cysts in the ovaries. Symptoms of PCOS include acne, irregular menstrual cycle and depression to name a few.
The causes of PCOS have not been accurately identified so far, but researchers suggest that the following factors might contribute to the onset of the condition.

1. Increased amount of insulin secretion- Women suffering from insulin resistance may get PCOS as their body is not able to effectively use this insulin, which results in increased insulin secretion by the pancreas. This, in turn, triggers more androgen (male sex hormone) production in the ovaries, making it difficult for the ovaries to ovulate.

2. Lower inflammation levels- The white blood cells present in your body form resistance against infections through a response termed as inflammation. Women with lower inflammation levels are likelier to get PCOS as the decreased levels stimulate polycystic ovaries, thereby producing more androgens.

3. Genetic factor-  If you have a family history of PCOS, it’s highly probable that you may also get it as the disease is linked with your genes.

How To  Live with PCOS

PCOS comes with numerous side effects like acne, obesity, infertility, excessive facial or body hair among others. There are certain lifestyle changes, which you may consider to manage PCOS and minimise its side effects.

1. Change your diet - Opt for a low carbohydrate, low sugar diet to keep your insulin levels in control, as insulin is responsible for increasing the severity of PCOS symptoms. 

2. Try to maintain an ideal body weight - Obesity is known for worsening insulin resistance, and you can prevent this by regularly keeping your weight in check. You can practice some easy at-home exercise to reduce weight besides having a balanced diet.

3. Get yourself checked regularly - Visit a doctor and get yourself checked regularly for potential health risks as PCOS is often associated with increased chances of diabetes, heart diseases, certain forms of cancer, hypertension, and high LDL (bad) cholesterol levels.

4. Join a support group - Joining a PCOS support group will help you cope with your emotional difficulties, while helping you to live a better life by cultivating an optimistic outlook.

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Every 1 in 5 Women in India suffers from PCOS! Why? (And what they need to know)

How to ensure a normal period when you're suffering from PCOS?

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a hormonal disorder affecting 12-18% of women of reproductive age. PCOS is a condition where at least two of the following conditions occur:

1. Appearance of acne, excessive hair on your body

2. Irregular delayed periods

3. The presence of 10 to 12 small cysts in the ovaries.

You do not ovulate each month, and some women do not ovulate at all if they are suffering from PCOS. This is because although the ovaries of women, suffering from PCOS, usually have many follicles, they do not develop fully and so ovulation often does not occur. If you do not ovulate, you may not have periods.

So what can you do to have normal periods?

Although some women with PCOS have regular periods, high levels of androgen and also the hormone insulin, can disrupt the monthly cycle of ovulation and menstruation. If you have PCOS, your periods may be irregular or may stop altogether. The average menstrual cycle is 28 days with one ovulation, but anywhere between 21 and 35 days is considered normal, and for a woman suffering from PCOS, this cycle can take as much as 3 months to complete.

To ensure a normal period during PCOS, your doctor can prescribe hormonal contraception. The medication can also reduce menstrual cramps, acne, and excess hair growth. The estrogen and progesterone in hormonal contraception act to override the body's normal hormonal control of menstrual cycle and ovulation. Production of hormones such as testosterone is greatly reduced by the oral contraceptive pill. Some oral contraceptive pills not only aim to block the effects of testosterone but also increase insulin resistance.

By allowing the regular shedding of the uterus lining during menstruation, the pill can reduce the risk of developing endometrial cancer while ensuring you get normal periods.

Note: it is important that you closely watch your weight. Lifestyle changes and weight reduction help a lot when you are suffering from PCOS.

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Related Tip: How Not to Miss Your Workout During Your PERIOD

How to Ensure a Normal Period When You're Suffering from PCOS?

There has been an intense debate, which is in the loop for years and has been raging back and forth regarding the deficiencies of a vegetarian diet versus the perils of a non-vegetarian one. This heated debate is both accurate as well as unfounded. Probably, that s the entire reason it is still a debate. In fact, if you look into the diet of both groups, you will be able to identify the fact that, there is a space for healthy living in both.

Vegetarian Diet

In a vegetarian diet, the food intake of a person is confined to a large variety of foods derived from plants along with milk and dairy. And, any form of meat and products derived from animals are completely avoided.

Pros

Vegetarians have been noted to consume lesser amount of proteins, but they do not suffer from problems related to a high protein diet, such as osteoporosis (characterized by brittle and weak bones) and kidney failure.
The diet includes high level of antioxidants such as vitamin E & C as well as carotene, which is available in vegetables and fruits.
Additionally, they consume less amount of saturated fats.
Cons

Deficiency of vitamin B12 is common amongst vegetarians, as it is mainly available in meat, eggs and fish. Deficiency of vitamin B12 can yield rare symptoms such as increased fatigue, shortness of breath and a temporary loss of body balance.
Lack of protein, as stated above, along with iron and zinc deficiency is also common. 
Symptoms of protein deficiency can be troublesome and include signs like

Sluggish metabolism
Loss of body muscles (as the body tries to derive the regular protein intake from your muscles, thus making them weak),
Trouble gaining or losing weight
Persistent fatigue
Longer healing time in case of wounds and injuries
Pain in joints
Drastic changes in blood sugar level that might result in diabetes
A weak immune system makes you vulnerable to all kinds of diseases.
Non-vegetarian Diet

A non-vegetarian diet includes all forms of plant foods as well as foods and by-products that are derived from animals, such as poultry, fish, meat, etc.

Pros 

Vitamin B12 is present in adequate level since they are derived from sources such as meat, eggs and fish. Adequate intake of proteins is never an issue for  non-vegetarians
Cons

Meat products are loaded with saturated fats, which increase the risk of heart diseases. Studies have shown that people consuming non-vegetarian diets:
Have shorter lifespan and are more vulnerable to chronic diseases.
Tend to develop diabetes, heart diseases and hypertension.
Usually non vegetarians eat less amount of vegetables and fruits than what is recommended.  
If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a Dietitian/Nutritionist.

Vegetarian vs Non Vegetarian Diet - Which is Better?

Why do you get PCOS?

Polycystic ovarian syndrome is the condition when a woman's sex hormone levels get imbalanced. This can cause women to have irregular periods and may also have an impact on their fertility. Women suffering from PCOS also tend to grow small cysts in their ovaries which can also lead to severe health problems like diabetes and heart disease, if left untreated.

What causes PCOS?

The exact cause of PCOS is not known. However, the condition may be triggered by hormonal imbalances and genetic factors. Women are more susceptible to developing this condition if their mother or a female family member also has the condition. Excessive production of androgen, which is a male sex hormone, may also lead to this condition. Women suffering from PCOS tend to have high levels of androgen. The formation of eggs and their release during ovulation can be delayed by high levels of androgen. High androgen levels may result from excess insulin present in the blood. Poor lifestyle and irregular eating habits contribute to obesity which intern leads to increased insulin resistance and hence delayed ovulation and irregular cycles leading to infertility.

What are the symptoms of PCOS?


The type of symptom in case of PCOS varies from person to person. Since PCOS is characterized by low levels of sex hormones, this condition may lead to symptoms such as:

- Excessive hair growth on stomach, face, chest, toes and thumbs
- The breast size starts to shrink
- There is a change in voice, making it deeper
- There is excessive loss of hair from your scalp
- Sometimes the face is filled with acne and the skin turns oily
- There are fertility problems like having trouble in ovulating or recurring miscarriages
- Frequent depression or mood swings
- Facing breathings problems while sleeping
- Obesity

Why do you get PCOS?

Are you experiencing problems with your periods because of hormonal imbalance? This condition, known as PCOD and PCOS, or polycystic ovary syndrome, may make it difficult for you to get pregnant, and unwanted changes in your appearance are also indicated. In most cases, women with PCOD develop small cysts in their ovaries. These cysts may not be harmful or cancerous, but they cause hormone imbalance in your body.

Causes

The specific causes of PCOD are yet to be determined. In PCOS patients, the ovaries produce excess androgens or male sex hormones, which result in an imbalance in ovulation, acne breakout and development of excess body hair. Your body faces problems using insulin and develops insulin resistance. Genetics are considered to be a key factor that determines a woman s chance of getting PCOD.

Symptoms

The symptoms of PCOD are mild in the beginning. The most common symptoms are as follows:

Weight and difficulty in weight loss.

Acne breakout.

Development of excess hair on the face and body, which is not a feminine feature. Thicker and darker facial hair and unusually excessive hair on the belly, chest and back are also indicated in some women.

Thinning of hair on the scalp.

Irregularity with menstrual periods. Commonly, women with PCOD experience less than 9 periods during a year. Some women may have no periods at all, while others experience heavy, abnormal bleeding.

Fertility problems are likely in women with PCOD.

Depression.

Treatment

The treatment of PCOD aims at relieving the symptoms and preventing long-term health problems associated with the condition. PCOD can be treated and managed by using the following measures:

You should keep fit and undertake regular exercise and work out. Walking is an ideal exercise which you can opt for.

You should eat heart healthy food which includes vegetables, nuts, fruits, whole grains and beans. Avoid foods which contain saturated fats and these include fried food, meat and cheese.

Losing weight is beneficial for your health if you have PCOD. Losing even a small amount of weight will help in balancing your hormones and regulating your menstrual cycle.

Quit smoking as smoking increases the levels of androgen in your body.

Birth control pills are also prescribed for reducing your symptoms, and fertility medicines are prescribed in case of infertility issues because of PCOD.

It is recommended for you to consult a gynaecologist on experiencing any symptom of PCOD. This will enable early diagnosis so that you can start with the treatment measures before the condition worsens.

PCOD - Causes, Symptoms and Treatment

Pcos or polycystic ovary syndrome is an endocrine disorder in women, in which the female hormones, progesterone and estrogen, are imbalanced. This imbalance leads to the formation of cysts (benign masses) in the ovaries. Pcos tends to affect your heart functions, fertility, menstrual cycle and appearance.

There are certain symptoms, which can be indicative of pcos; these symptoms tend to begin as a woman's menstrual cycle starts. In certain cases, however, pcos may also affect a woman in her mid age. Pcos can also cause excessive hair growth in unwanted places like above the upper lip, chin, arms and chest like a male.
The symptoms are:

Increase in the production of male hormone, leads to development of male characteristics
The size of the breasts may reduce
The tone and the texture of the voice may change and become similar to a man's voice
Hair may start to fall
You may suffer from acne and pimple breakouts on your face
It can lead to sudden weight gain
It may affect a woman's fertility
It may lead to pain in the pelvis
Other symptoms: apart from these symptoms, a woman may also experience other health complications such as high levels of bad cholesterol, high blood pressure and diabetes.

Causes: the causes of pcos are not well known, however, the likely causes are genetics and hormonal complications. If someone in the family has pcos, then the risk of being affected by pcos rises significantly. The other likely cause is the overproduction of the male hormone androgen in the female body. Although androgen is a male hormone, the female body also produces it in trace amounts. However, in some cases, when it is overproduced, it might impair the ovulation process.

Diagnosis and treatment: once the condition is diagnosed, there are certain treatments, which are recommended for the patient. The condition in itself does not have a cure, but the symptoms can only be controlled. Medications to control the androgen levels in the female body may be administered if you have androgen hormone complication. A balanced diet and an exercise regimen can be chalked out to control body weight and regulate blood sugar levels. If pcos leads to ovulation problems, then medications to facilitate ovulation may be advised.

PCOS: What You Need to Know About It

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