All Eyes on PCOS
Are you a woman in your mid 20's struggling with some health issues yet unable to talk about them with most people because it is still puzzling to the medical community? As you get older, things only get more challenging. The chichos are really showing off nowadays. You buy wardrobes that are 1 to 2 sizes larger than your ideal body type. Despite your best efforts, you still gain weight. Even when you put several different diets to the test, the jelly still shakes. Weekly weigh-ins continue to show an increasing number on the scale. Your hair no longer feels dense and strong, and strands fall out like autumn leaves. Several areas are more prone to balding, making a mumu all the more critical. Each visit to the doctor gets more complicated, resulting in anxiety and the doctor scratching his or her head. Suddenly, prescriptions are your savior. Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) causes your problems. Whenever you hear this abbreviation, you squirm.
Background:
It is possible for PCOS to affect a woman at different stages of her life, and each case varies from one woman to another. PCOS primarily affects adolescents, teenagers, young adults, and women in their early 30's. 116 million women worldwide (3.4%) suffer from this condition, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Currently, PCOS is diagnosed if a person exhibits two out of three of the following characteristics:
Hyperandrogenism – building block for testosterone
Irregular menstruation
Ovaries with cysts of varying sizes
Having polycystic ovarian syndrome can affect a woman's health in a variety of ways. Infertility, male pattern baldness, depression, and sleep disturbances are some of the symptoms. Teenagers who are predisposed to diabetes, obesity, and psychotic disorders are particularly at risk. A dietary supplement dispensary is a fitting metaphor for the endocrine system. While taking inventory, the sales rep notices there are more melatonin gummies than vitamin D oil drops. Employees send these stats to the manager via email. To keep the store's inventory balanced, the manager should order more vitamin D supplements and fewer gummies. The hypothalamus represents the manager, while the glands (e.g., ovary, adrenal, etc.) represent the employees. The two parties exchange hormonal messages constantly to maintain a healthy hormone population in the bloodstream. When the hypothalamus detects that estrogen levels are dipping, it instructs the ovary to produce more estrogen. Conversely, when too much hormone X is produced, the gland that produces hormone X alerts the hypothalamus that there is enough hormone X supply. Having PCOS compromises the endocrine system's communication network. These symptoms occur due to hormonal imbalance, which adversely affects a person's health. Also, it can trigger other health problems. Since the healthcare community hasn't been able to pinpoint the exact cause of PCOS, they've been treating clients with pharmaceutical drugs. The development of PCOS is influenced by several factors. Here's a list of both external and internal factors that disrupt the endocrine system.
Genetics
Obesity
Lifestyle/environment
Neuroendocrine
Genetic studies have shown that some women are at higher risk for PCOS because they carry the predominant gene. Pregnant women with high levels of androgen and/or insulin are more likely to have daughters with PCOS. Chemicals that stimulate PCOS progression can turn on or off genes linked to the condition. Endocrine disruptors include chemicals like DTT in pesticides and Bisphenol A (BPA) in plastic and food storage materials. Consuming too many simple sugars and fats in a diet makes it worse because more insulin is made. When insulin levels are high, the yo-yo effect begins regarding hormone imbalances in the bloodstream. PCOS's sick cycle is influenced by these factors.
Even though PCOS affects women, men should take it seriously. An understanding of PCOS can help a person better empathize with a client. It's better to know than to be ignorant. Therefore, this will be an EP. A few nutritional changes may help tame PCOS. We'll review a few concepts to better understand PCOS since it's such a disrespectful diagnosis. Recently, I've encountered more women with this syndrome, including colleagues, relatives, and friends. The Latino and Caribbean population has a high rate of PCOS. Whenever I tell women what the abbreviation means, they're surprised. The goal is to understand how PCOS thinks and improve our diet to help. We'll stop here and resume next week. As always, may you Stay Strong & Stay Vivid!
Reference
Bulsara. J. et al. (2021). A review. Brief insight into Polycystic Ovarian syndrome. Elsevier. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.endmts.2021.100085 .
Hoeger. K.M., Dokras. A., et Piltonen. T. (2020). Update on PCOS: Consequences, Challenges, and Guiding Treatment. Oxford. https://doi.org/10.1012/clinem/dgaa839 .
Sadeghi. H.M. et al. (2022). Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: A Comprehensive Review of Pathogenesis, Management, and Drug Repurposing. MDPI. http://doi.org/10.3390/ijms23020583 .
