Role of Nutraceuticals in Polycystic Ovaries Treatment

Nutraceuticals are a combination of natural substances that include herbs and dietary supplements. Nutraceuticals are food or part of a food which provides medical or health benefits including the prevention or treatment of a disease.

When you cook food, with or without knowledge of how or why it is being used, the food is called “functional food.” Functional foods provide the body with vitamins, fats, carbohydrates etc. When this food helps in the prevention or treatment of disease, it is called a Nutraceutical¹.

In simple words, nutraceuticals means: A food or dietary supplement that provides health benefits.

Let us first see what is PCOS?

PCOS is a hormonal disorder, a condition that alters the hormonal levels of women.

Women with PCOS may have irregular menses, excessive hair growth (hirsutism), acne and obesity.

The exact cause of PCOS is still not known. However some causative risk factors are:

1. Insulin resistance

Your body cells utilize the sugar with the help of insulin. If your body cells become resistant to insulin, means that, they do not take help from insulin to utilize the sugars. This will cause blood sugar levels to rise, and your body will feel the need to produce more insulin to utilize the sugars. This will cause high levels of insulin, and high levels of insulin will produce more male hormones (androgens), that can further interfere with ovulation (release of egg).

2. Hereditary

Studies have found that certain genes may be associated with PCOS.

3. Excess male hormones–

The ovaries produce high amounts of androgens (male hormones), they in turn interfere with ovulation and cause acne and excessive hair growth.

4. Low-grade inflammation

Studies have shown that, the ovaries of women who have low grade inflammation produce more androgen. This can also affect the heart and blood vessels.

Obesity is also associated with PCOS.

How PCOS is treated?

There are various options for polycystic ovaries treatment, which include diet and lifestyle modifications and medications.

Some of the medications for the treatment of PCOS include:

Birth control pills
Progestin therapy
Metformin

Treatment also includes advice:

To maintain a healthy weight
Limit the intake of carbohydrates
Exercise