Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

(from a review by Andrea Miller RD, in ‘Patient Care')

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) was first described in 1953. Characteristics of this disorder include, amenorrhea, hirsutism, obesity and a polycystic appearance of the ovaries. Incidence of PCOS is estimated at 5-10% of women of reproductive age. It can have a major impact on a woman's reproductive, metabolic and cardiovascular health. Obesity has been shown to be present in as few as 30% of cases, and as many as 75%. The cause of the obesity is unknown, however it shows increased visceral adiposity (intraabdominal fat), reflected by a waist circumference more than 88 cm or 35 inches. Also, insulin resistance (much like we see in Type 2 Diabetes) is present, along with glucose intolerance and altered cholesterols. You will also see elevations of male hormone producing abnormal hair growth.

The role of the diet is the first treatment for overweight women with PCOS. If one can achieve 10% weight loss, then improvement in the high insulin levels and a lowering of the male hormone are seen.

Many different diets have been proposed, but one might see the best results with an even distribution of foods over the whole day, trying to avoid irregularity of eating. Certainly lowering the white processed starches also helps. Exercise plays a major component of improving the insulin resistance

This is a difficult and frustrating disorder, as weight loss in this condition is not easy and requires a real commitment of the woman to follow a strict intake of calories along with daily exercise.

Much like the Type 2 diabetic, insulin resistance makes weight loss difficult.