You might be familiar with metformin, a prescription medication for treating type 2 diabetes. Metformin works to decrease the amount of glucose you absorb in your food and improves your body's response to insulin.
On the other hand, hormonal birth control can help stabilize sex hormones and lower androgen levels that can cause symptoms like excess hair growth and cystic acne. Spironolactone is actually a diuretic with anti-testosterone properties that's also often used to treat PCOS.
For some women it's infertility, so I wouldn't prescribe birth control but metformin or Clomid clomiphene to help induce ovulation," Dr. Moreover, Dr. Kumar says that metformin can also induce weight loss, so it's not appropriate for lean women with PCOS. Outside of diet, exercise, and medication, the best way to prevent weight gain with PCOS is to manage stress. By practicing some self-care , such as meditation , exercise, and yoga, you can help clear the mental roadblocks that are preventing you from losing weight and build willpower to overcome challenges.
Reducing stress also puts you in better mind frame to make healthier decisions. Kumar says that while losing weight can greatly improve your symptoms and reduce your risk of other health conditions, it doesn't mean that PCOS goes away once you drop the pounds.
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Getty Images. PCOS can produce a perfect storm of carb cravings, higher levels of insulin and the stress hormone cortisol, lower levels of appetite-suppressing hormones, increased inflammation and possibly a slower metabolism.
Many women with PCOS have a history of yo-yo dieting from trying to fight their bodies, which can worsen health and, ironically, increase weight over time.
She points to the widespread weight bias in the medical community and the fact that weight itself has been medicalized. They struggle with losing weight. Heavily processed foods and refined carbohydrates have the ability to increase insulin production in women with PCOS. Scientists have identified that progesterone and insulin can work in opposition to each other. However, in the presence of PCOS, progesterone promotes the effects of insulin on glucose levels.
AGEs are created by a non-enzymatic reaction between proteins and sugars. These AGEs accumulate over time and have been linked to inflammation, nerve damage, and other chronic health diseases like diabetes. Equally, processed meats are something to stay away from as they increase inflammation in the body. Inflammation is a major issue in women with PCOS as it inhibits the full effectiveness of insulin. As mentioned earlier, insulin is what regulates glucose levels.
Insulin can also inhibit other effects of progesterone which can lead to more weight gain when one has PCOS. People who eat more processed meats are at a higher risk of developing type-II diabetes and those who consume more sugar have an increased likelihood of gaining weight. Limiting added sugars is extremely critical in a similar way to reducing processed foods. Added sugars are defined as any sugars or syrup that is added to a food product by the manufacturer, cook or consumer.
Added sugars include corn syrup, raw sugar, high-fructose corn syrup and other sweeteners such as molasses, cane juice, agave nectar and honey. A study found that women with PCOS have increased blood sugar levels after consuming an extra 20 grams of added sugars while those without PCOS did not experience this same increase.
The consumption of 20 grams of added sugars increases insulin production in women with PCOS but not those without it. Refined sugars are insidious and can be found in a number of sneaky places. As mentioned above, I am always going on about this one. When you're trying to lose weight with PCOS, or even simply manage most hormonal imbalances, you want to look at the naughty fats: hydrogenated or trans fats. If you have PCOS, avoid foods with unhealthy fats such as hydrogenated or trans fat.
This helps to lower estrogen levels and can help your symptoms of the condition. Polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats are better for managing hormone-sensitive conditions like PCOS because they don't elevate estrogen levels in women's bodies. By eating foods that are high in bad fats you not only increase your risk of heart disease, diabetes, and obesity -- but also have a higher chance of worsening your PCOS symptoms.
Trans fats are processed in order to enable them to be solid at room temperature. Trans fats are created when liquid vegetable or animal oils are. This process is called hydrogenation and while this sounds harmless enough, the trans fat that is created is the most dangerous type of fat for your health.
Make sure you focus on eating whole foods instead of processed and oily takeaway and microwave meals. Start cooking, girl! On the other side of the coin, healthy fats will not make you fat. I can't stress this enough and it always comes as a surprise when I tell people about it in my 7 Day Hormone Reset Challenge. Women with PCOS who are trying to lose weight should eat healthy fats such as avocados, coconut oil, olive oil and nuts. Eating these types of foods will help you feel more full and satisfied faster than if you were on a low-fat diet or the dreaded no fat diet.
I always recommend that my clients focus their fat intake on foods like wild salmon, nuts and seeds, avocados, coconut oil or olive oil. Eating healthy fats is a critical part of feeling satiated after meals to avoid overeating during the day! The reason for this is that fat takes longer to digest than carbs which means you will feel fuller for longer. This is backed up by the evidence as well. In one study of 30 women with PCOS, the women who had a higher fat diet were found to have lost more weight than the women with the lower fat diet.
This is astounding, and some amazing further evidence that good fats are in fact good for you! Protein is the building block of life. Protein is essential for a healthy diet because it provides all nine amino acids that are needed to build muscle and other tissues in our body. Eating protein helps women with PCOS lose weight not only by providing more satiety but also from aiding fat burning.
Eating high-protein foods such as eggs, meat and fish is a great idea for those women with PCOS who are looking to lose weight. There is a bit of a recurring theme here right? Fat and protein are the keys here. In a study of 57 women with PCOS, one group was given a high protein, high fat diet and the other was given a more standard diet I would say probably slightly higher fat than a standard diet.
Mindful eating is one potential solution. It promotes an increased awareness of bodily cues, such as hunger and fullness.
Mindfulness-based approaches to food may help address problematic eating behaviors — especially binge eating and emotional eating Processed foods and added sugars may raise blood sugar levels and increase your risk of insulin resistance, which is linked to obesity Research shows that women with PCOS experience larger spikes in blood sugar and insulin levels after consuming the same amount of sugar as women without this condition Studies indicate that minimally processed, real foods not only raise blood sugar less than highly processed foods but are also more satisfying Furthermore, experts recommend that women with PCOS limit their consumption of added sugars and refined carbs to manage symptoms and maintain a healthy body weight 2 , But chronic inflammation — which is common in women with PCOS — is linked to obesity.
Sugar and processed foods may contribute to inflammation In one study, 16 women with PCOS who took a one-time dose of 75 grams of glucose — a particular type of sugar — had higher blood markers for inflammation, compared to women without this condition A diet like the Mediterranean diet — which is high in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, olive oil, and omegarich foods, such as fatty fish — may protect against inflammation Long-term calorie restriction may slow down your metabolism.
Although calorie restriction is likely to lead to short-term weight loss, over time, the body adapts to this restriction by reducing the number of overall calories it burns, which can lead to weight regain For example, in one study, restrictive dieting was found to modify the hormones leptin, peptide YY, cholecystokinin, insulin, and ghrelin, which increased appetite and led to weight gain Instead of restricting calories, it may be best to focus on eating whole foods and cutting out unhealthy products.
For example, a study in over people suggested that eating more vegetables and whole foods — while reducing consumption of processed foods, refined grains, and added sugars — may help promote weight loss without restricting calories Exercise is a well-known strategy to improve weight loss. In a week study in which 16 women did 45—60 minutes of cardio 3 times per week, those with PCOS lost 2.
While women with PCOS lost less fat than those without this condition, the exercise regimen did result in loss of belly fat and improvements in insulin sensitivity. In one study, 45 women with PCOS did weight training 3 times weekly. After 4 months, they lost belly fat and gained lean body mass while reducing testosterone and blood sugar levels If you have PCOS, you may experience sleep disturbances, including excessive daytime sleepiness , sleep apnea, and insomnia Lack of sleep has been shown to increase the activity of hormones that drive hunger, such as ghrelin and cortisol, which may cause you to eat more throughout the day In fact, insufficient sleep is associated with a higher risk of being overweight or obese A review of 18 studies found that those who slept less than 5 hours per night were significantly more likely to be obese.
Furthermore, the study demonstrated that every hour of additional sleep per night was associated with a decrease in body mass index BMI of 0. Additionally, studies have linked better-quality sleep to fat loss. Because stress is a risk factor for weight gain, managing your stress can help manage your weight.
Stress increases levels of cortisol, a hormone made by your adrenal glands. Chronically high cortisol levels are linked to insulin resistance and weight gain Chronic stress also increases your risk of developing belly fat. In turn, belly fat increases inflammation, which triggers your body to make more cortisol — creating a vicious cycle Studies note that techniques like meditation, yoga , and spending time in nature can help lower cortisol levels 41 , 42 ,
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