Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome

Polycystic ovarian syndrome is the most common health problem caused due to an imbalance of female reproductive hormones. It affects 1 in 10 females of reproductive age.

Stress, sedentary lifestyle, genetic factors, poor eating habits, improper sleep takes a toll, and leads to various disruptions and imbalances. Nourishing the body with important nutrients, being physically active are the key goals in preventing and resolving hormonal imbalances.

A lot of studies have been conducted to check the impact of Medical Nutrition Therapy on PCOS. A study conducted by Safila et al concluded that females in the age group of 15-40 years faced severe hormonal imbalances due to irregular eating patterns, stress, depression, and excessive use of antibiotics¹.

Intensive lifestyle modification which includes diet and exercise is considered the first line of treatment in the management of infertility and metabolic complications in women with PCOS. There is a significant increase in the conversion of impaired glucose tolerance to type 2 diabetes in these individuals ^2,3.

A healthcare practitioner may advise a series of following tests to diagnose PCOS

• Testosterone: This is one of the initial and crucial tests to determine whether an individual is producing excessive androgens. The level is usually high in PCOS.
• Sex hormone-binding globulin(SHBG)- this may be lower in PCOS.
• Anti-Mullerian hormone(AMH)-An increased level is often seen with PCOS.

Some of the secondary tests done to diagnose PCOS :

• Follicle Stimulating Hormone(FSH)
• Luteinizing Hormone(LH)- will be elevated
• Estrogens- may be normal or elevated
• DHEAS- may be elevated
• Androstenedione - may be elevated

Non-laboratory Tests:

For individuals with PCOS the size of ovaries could be 1.5 to 3 times larger than normal and have more than 20 follicles per ovary, making the appearance of a cyst-like that of a pearl necklace. A pelvic ultrasound helps to visualize these changes in more than 90% of women with PCOS, but they are also found in up to 25% of women without PCOS symptoms⁴.

REFERENCES:

1. Safila Naveed, Sidra Ghayas, Asra Hameed; Hormonal imbalance and its causes in young females, Journal of Innovations in Pharmaceuticals and Biological Sciences, Vol 2 (1),12-16, 2015

2. Carrie C. Dennett, Judy Simon, The Role of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome in Reproductive and Metabolic Health: Overview and Approaches for Treatment, Diabetes Spectrum 2015 May; 28(2):116-120

3. Kelsey E. S. Salley, Edmond P. Wickham, Kai I. Cheang, Paulina A.Essah, Nicole W. Karjane, John E. Nestler, POSITION STATEMENT:Glucose Intolerance in Polycystic Ovary Syndrome-A PositionStatement of the Androgen Excess Society, The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, Volume 92, Issue 12, 1 December 2007, Pages 4546-4556.

4. Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS).