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Classically defined, Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) is a disorder in which many benign cysts form on the ovaries. It causes your menstrual cycle to be irregular or you may have no periods at all. PCOS can make it hard for you to become pregnant and cause other problems as well. PCOS is most common in women less than 30 years old, ironically our prime reproductive years.
At Pulling Down the Moon®, we specialize in treating women with PCOS and have great results. In fact, these are our favorite patients to treat as we get the best and fastest results with this group!
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Common Symptoms
v Irregular menstrual periods, particularly long cycles, or no periods at all
v About 20 percent of women with polycystic ovaries have normal menstrual cycles
v Very light or very heavy bleeding during your period
v Trouble getting pregnant
v More hair on your face, chest, and lower abdomen
v Balding in some women
v Obesity
v Acne
Causes
The exact cause of PCOS is unclear. It is common for sisters or a mother and daughter to have PCOS, but a definite genetic link has not been found. PCOS is often characterized by high levels of LH (Luteinizing Hormone), which seems to cause the problem. While LH is necessary to mature the follicle, unbalanced amounts of this hormone also causes the follicle to stop growing in preparation for ovulation. Research shows that elevated levels of the hormone insulin may in fact be the root cause of PCOS because high insulin levels can increase LH levels, directly affecting the follicle. In addition, excess body weight is strongly connected.
A Weighty Issue
Among PCOS patients who are overweight or obese, weight loss is the most physiologic method of inducing ovulation. (Minerva Endocrinol 2007).
The presence of obesity is clearly related to the infertility of PCOS, and increases the risk for metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular risk factors in these women. (Fertil. Steril 2007)
If overweight, weight loss leads to improved insulin sensitivity, which restores ovulation in overweight infertile women with PCOS. Lifestyle management is the best initial management for obese women seeking to improve their reproductive function. (Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab 2004)
Modest weight loss of 5-10% appears to be very effective in restoring fertility in women with PCOS. (Hum. Reprod. 1997)
Multiple studies recommend weight loss as a first-line therapeutic option for all women with obesity and PCOS (Rev. Reprod. 1996)
Fertility Foods and Vitamins
Compared with matched control women, women with PCOS exhibited a dietary pattern that was marked by consumption of a greater amount of specific foods… (Fertility and Sterility 2006)
Regular use of specific supplements may decrease the risk of ovulatory infertility in PCOS patients (Fertil. Steril 2007)
Higher pregnancy rates are associated with specific B-vitamin treatment in women with PCOS. In this study, the pregnancy rates were higher with the vitamins than with metformin.(Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 2006)
Find out what these specific foods and vitamins are during one of our consults!
Visit our PCOS Store to learn more about some of these supplements.
The Pulling Down the Moon® Nutritional Solution
At Pulling Down the Moon®, we specialize in treating women with PCOS and have great results. In fact, these are our favorite patients to treat as we get the best and fastest results with this group!
Our weight loss program is greatly different from traditional models such as the popular Weight Watchers and Jenny Craig. For women trying to conceive, these are often inappropriate due to their calorically restrictive plans and do not incorporate the specific foods that help women with PCOS and/or do not eliminate the ones that can make the syndrome worse. We incorporate foods that medicinally in Chinese Medicine are traditionally known to decrease and shrink cysts. Some popular foods are also ones that can exacerbate cysts and make them grow – so we address these foods as well.
In cases where supplementation is appropriate, we incorporate the vitamins that studies have proven may help to heal the syndrome of PCOS. Because we work with many patients going through the medical fertility process, we only recommend those additional vitamins that are safe throughout any Assisted Reproductive Technique and throughout a pregnancy.
All our nutritional patients receive a variety of handouts, recipes, meal plans, a list of fertility foods, and other relevant information as part of our consultations. For our PCOS patients, I always tell them that they are the lucky ones. PCOS is highly manageable with nutritional therapy. Not all women are so lucky to have a syndrome that they have control over.
Acupuncture/Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and PCOS
Acupuncture is extremely effective in regulating hormone levels in the body, and this is quite helpful when treating a patient who has been diagnosed with PCOS and is trying to conceive. By balancing the body’s hormone levels, acupuncture has been shown to make periods more regular and help patients ovulate*. If weight is an issue, acupuncture can also support the PCOS patient by helping with weight loss. It does this through its ability to balance hormones, curb appetite, and reduce stress. Using Chinese herbs is also an effective adjunct to the acupuncture treatments for PCOS.
If a woman is not undergoing assisted reproduction, or is taking “time off” from medicated cycles, there are specific Chinese herbs from the ‘resolve phlegm’ category of herbs in TCM that can reduce masses in the low abdomen, e.g. ovarian cysts. At Pulling Down the Moon®, your practitioner may give you a formula specifically tailored to your TCM diagnosis, which will typically include herbs from the phlegm resolving category. We do not advocate taking herbs during medicated fertility cycles.
The frequency and duration of your acupuncture/herbal therapy at Pulling Down the Moon® is determined at the initial treatment and based on a number of factors. The severity of the PCOS, the patient’s constitutional level, and whether or not a patient is undergoing a medicated fertility treatment cycle are taken into consideration upon your treatment plan.
*Source: Stener-Victorin E et al, Effects of electro-acupuncture on anovulation in women with polycystic ovary syndrome. Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand. 2000 Mar;79(3):180-8