Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is a disorder that is impacting a lot of women who may not even know that they have a disorder at all. According to Mayo Clinic, PCOS is a hormonal disorder affecting women of reproductive age. This basically means that women can experience little-to-no menstrual cycles, and their hormones can be off-balance. Along with that, many women experience weight gain, unwanted facial hair, acne and more– the main effects of this disorder are infertility issues and diabetes.
PCOS is a common disease in 2019, but it’s still unknown why it is on the rise. Many researchers say it’s due to the rate of obesity, some say it’s genetic and others say it starts in the womb. “There’s more and more evidence that when a mom has PCOS, her female baby-to-be experiences shifts in hormones while in utero that can cause the syndrome many years later,” according to Science Magazine on how PCOS could be passed from mother to daughter in the womb.
According to Hormones Matter, this disorder affects every one in five women and teenagers face a heightened risk. Insulin resistance is also one of the main causes of this disorder.
“Insulin resistance is the result of too much sugar (concentrated fructose) in our diet, as well as smoking, obesity, trans fat, stress and environmental toxins,” said Lara Briden, author of the Period Repair Manual.
There isn’t a cure for PCOS, but when diagnosed, the person needs to consult with their doctor to see what they can do to help the situation and symptoms. Medication is typically used to try to help with PCOS. Another popular tactic is hormone therapy. Hormone therapy consists of different prescriptions to try to get women’s hormones closer to what they should be. The two main prescriptions are Metformin and birth control. Metformin also lowers insulin, which is to prevent women from getting diabetes since people with PCOS are more prone to get diabetes. Birth control also stops the growth of unwanted hair.
If any of these symptoms sound like something you are experiencing, contact your doctor to voice your concerns.