Despite being a condition with a high worldwide prevalence, the cause behind polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is yet to be discovered. Therefore, preventing it remains the best option.
Overview of PCOS
Polycystic ovary syndrome or PCOS is a set of symptoms related to an imbalance of hormones that happens in women during their reproductive period. From its name, “polycystic ovary” means that it is characterized by the presence of many small cysts around the outer of the ovary. The cysts themselves contain immature eggs, which fail to be released regularly under PCOS conditions. Due to this irregular release of eggs, women with PCOS either may not menstruate very often, or menstruate for more days than usual. Other symptoms of PCOS may include:
- Infertility
- Weight gain, especially around the abdomen
- Excess body hair on the chest, back, and stomach
- Acne or oily skin
- Male-pattern thinning hair or baldness
- Darkening or thickening of skin in the armpits, on the back of the neck, and under the breasts
According to WHO (World Health Organization), the ovarian condition affects approximately 116 million women worldwide (3.4%), making its global prevalence fall between 4% and 20% of women in reproductive age. To diagnose for PCOS, it is usually done based on the Rotterdam criteria where an individual is confirmed to have PCOS if they have two out of three of the following:
- Oligo-anovulation (irregular ovulation)
- Hyperandrogenism
- Polycystic ovaries (≤ 12 follicles, 2-9 mm in diameter and/or the volume of (at least one) ovary of > 10 mL)
So many affected, yet of unknown cause?
With the increasing population of women with PCOS, it is interesting enough that we cannot exactly pinpoint what causes it yet. However, PCOS has been found to be correlated with obesity and insulin resistance.
Meanwhile, being obese is considered a risk factor for PCOS. Nevertheless, PCOS is not exclusive to obese females of reproductive age, as lean females have been diagnosed with it too. It was suggested that increased BMI could be of high risk to irregular menstrual cycles and infertility. Therefore, we can conclude that PCOS and obesity can contribute to each other in their development.
The insulin resistance trait is due to the abnormal hormone function – where an excess of insulin triggers the ovaries to produce androgen, leading to a condition called hyperandrogenism. Hyperandrogenism is responsible for symptoms mentioned above; weight gain (that may lead to obesity), body hair growth, acne formation, and alopecia (balding/thinning of hair). Just like obesity, PCOS caused by hyperandrogenism will result in insulin- resistant traits.
An Ounce of Prevention Is Worth a Pound of Cure
As the specific mechanisms between insulin resistance, obesity, and hyperandrogenism behind PCOS is still yet to be discovered, it is better for us to just carry out preventive measures for PCOS. It all goes back to small, healthier actions in our daily lives which are all part of an ideal body weight management. With an ideal body weight, a lot of consequent health conditions caused by PCOS (type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, endometrial disorders, etc.) could be avoided. Here are several lifestyle changes to prevent PCOS:
- Daily exercises (150 minutes/week)
- 7-8 hours of sleep
- Less consumption of sugar-rich foods (5-10% of daily intake)
- Less consumption of saturated fats (<10% of daily intake) and trans fats (<1% of daily intake)
- More consumption of fiber-rich foods at least 25-35 grams/day (broccoli, pumpkin, almonds)
- More consumption of lean protein sources (chicken, fish, tofu)
- More consumption of antioxidant-rich foods (tomatoes, kale, olive oil)
Nevertheless, it all goes back to what our bodies truly need – what your body needs may not be the same as what other people’s bodies need – because we are all built differently! Therefore, it is important to make our diets personalized according to our genetic makeup.
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