What is PCOS?

Polycystic ovarian syndrome is a complex hormonal and metabolic disorder. It affects up to 20% of women and is one of the leading causes of fertility concerns. The symptoms of PCOS are an indication of an underlying imbalance that your body is trying to communicate with you. The name is derived from the appearance of polycystic ovaries on an ultrasound which means the ovaries have multiple fluid-filled sacs (follicles that look like small cysts).

Signs and symptoms

It can affect everyone differently, with some women only experiencing mild symptoms whereas other women can have quite severe symptoms. Only 40% of women with PCOS symptoms have cystic ovaries. Symptoms may change over time and not all symptoms occur in everyone.  The key signs and symptoms to look out for are:

Menstrual cycle

• Loss of periods (amenorrhea)
• Extremely low cycle length, shorter than 21 days, or long cycle lengths, longer than 35 days.
• Unpredictable heavy bleeding

Skin and hair

• Excess hair growth on the face and body
• Thinning hair on the scalp
• Skin tags
• Darkened skin patches (acanthosis nigricans)
• Acne – especially on the jawline

Fertility

• Difficulties in achieving pregnancy
• Adverse pregnancy outcomes (increased risk of miscarriage)

Mental/emotional

• Depression
• Anxiety
• PMS symptoms for prolonged amounts of time
• Eating disorders
• Low self-esteem

Metabolic

• Weight gain
• Hypothyroidism
• Increased risk factors for cardiovascular disease
• Increased risk of type 2 diabetes

PCOS Treatment

Treatment for PCOS is very individualised based on your personal symptoms. However, the key things for anyone who is suffering from PCOS to focus on are:

Diet

Focus on low-GI foods to help balance blood sugar. High GI foods such as refined carbohydrates, sugar, white bread, and pasta can exacerbate symptoms of PCOS. Focusing on high-fibre foods such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and legumes. Also ensuring adequate protein intake as helps to stabilise blood sugar levels and assist in weight management. Focusing on antioxidant-rich foods and avoiding pro-inflammatory foods is also important when managing PCOS.

Exercise

Regular aerobic exercise is beneficial for helping glucose transport into cells, which therefore stabilises blood sugar levels. Aim for 30 minutes of exercise every day or at least 150 minutes per week.

Environmental

Reduce exposure to endocrine disruptors. These are found in many household and personal products. Endocrine disruptors mimic your body’s hormones causing havoc on your own hormones.  Shop our range of eco-friendly home and personal products to reduce your exposure.

Stress

Managing stress and cortisol levels is vital for regulating hormones. Meditation, yoga, doing things that bring you joy, social interaction, and seeking out support if needed are all good ways to help manage stress levels and regulate your nervous system. Herbal medicines are highly effective at helping support the body’s stress response.

Best supplements for PCOS

PCOS Bloating Supplements

Bloating can be directly related to hormonal imbalances. The hormones oestrogen and progesterone are both vital in fluid balance. When the levels of these hormones are out of whack, bloating can occur. Higher levels of oestrogen in the body are common if you’re suffering from irregular periods which is common for those with PCOS. When oestrogen builds up in the body, this can cause water retention leading to discomfort and bloating. Working on regulating your hormones is important for reducing bloating, however working to improve gut and liver function are also key.

Wanderlust Prebiotic Gut Goodness Powder

Full of whole-food prebiotics to help rebalance and restore the imbalanced gut microbiome. The prebiotics are what feed the good bacteria which then multiply and reduce any overgrowth of bad bacteria that contributes to bloating.

Herbs of Gold Probiotic Plus SB

Specific strains including those that are in this product have shown to be beneficial for reducing bloating associated with PCOS by increasing the good bacteria which therefore reduces inflammation.

Herbs of Gold Liver Care

Contains herbs such as St Mary’s Thistle, dandelion root, Schisandra, bupleurum, and turmeric which are all beneficial for helping promote healthy liver function and aid to reduce digestive disturbances such as bloating. It also contains inositol which also supports liver function, and helps to regulate blood sugar levels which in turn helps to reduce bloating.

PCOS Sleep Supplements

Sleep disturbances are common amongst those with PCOS, usually due to blood sugar dysregulation.  Lack of sleep causes further blood sugar dysregulation creating a vicious cycle. By simultaneously working on regulating your hormones and blood sugar your sleep will start to improve. Some supplements to help improve the onset of sleep and sleep maintenance are:

Herbs of Gold Magnesium Night Plus

A high-strength blend, which also contains Californian poppy and passionflower to help calm your nervous system to drift off to sleep.

Brauer Sleep Spray

A soothing homeopathic remedy to help relax you into a sleep state.

Love Tea Organic Sleep Tea

Contains a soothing blend of passionflower, valerian and lavender to help you drift off to sleep. It also contains spearmint which has been shown to be beneficial for reducing androgens.

Wanting further support?

It can be challenging to get a diagnosis of PCOS, however, as a naturopath, keeping treatment personalised to treat each individual based on their symptoms as well as getting to the root cause of what’s driving those symptoms is a key factor in improving the quality of life for those experiencing symptoms of PCOS. Whilst we have a great range of beneficial products, receiving one on one support and guidance from a naturopath is highly recommended to ensure you get the most tailored therapeutic dosages and supplements for your symptoms.