PCOS: A condition every woman must know

Introduction:

PCOS is very common in Indian society, surveys suggest that 1 in every 10 women is living with PCOS and 50% of them are unaware about their condition.  PCOS/PCOD affects woman in reproductive age that is age 13 to 45. Most of the women who are detected with PCOS/PCOD are in their teenage.

What is PCOS/PCOD actually?

PCOS/PCOD is not like a common disease, it is a disorder or a condition where metabolism and hormones in the body of women are disturbed. Disturbed metabolism is mainly due to insulin resistance.

What is insulin resistance?

If you are newly detected with PCOS/PCOD then this question, surely is one of the many of questions you have in your mind. If you have already read many blogs on PCOS then you must be wondering_ why everyone relates insulin resistance with PCOS/PCOD? Well this is common amongst women with PCOS.

Let’s understand what is Insulin first. Insulin is a metabolic hormone that majorly works on our body Muscles and Fats. Insulin allows your muscles to use glucose in the blood. Insulin keeps your glucose levels in control that’s why your muscles and fat are in proper amount to bless you with the figure you desire as a woman.

Insulin resistance means Insulin in body is not working properly as it should be therefore body releases more of Insulin. Increased levels of Insulin have harmful effect all over the body but especially on women’s ovaries which embarks the beginning of PCOS condition.

Insulin resistance and beginning of PCOS

Insulin resistance leads to more secretion of Insulin which disturbs the normal functioning of ovaries. Female ovaries are supposed to secrete female hormone oestrogen and release eggs (ovulation) every month. But as Insulin resistance sets in ovaries fail to secrete female hormone oestrogen, on contrary it secretes male hormones i.e. androgens.  

Increased levels of Insulin and Androgens eventually lead to beginning of the PCOS.

Do You Have PCOS?

To determine if you have PCOS, your doctor will check that you have at least 2 of these 3 signs

• Irregular periods or no periods, caused from lack of ovulation
• Higher than normal levels of male hormones i.e. Androgens
• Multiple small cysts on the ovaries revealed in USG scan

Presence of only one sign is not indicative of PCOS

PCOS symptoms

Depending upon the disturbance in metabolic and hormonal functions PCOS can envisage itself in the form of many symptoms. Here are 6 common PCOS symptoms we have enlisted for you

1. Overweight: Insulin resistance causes weight gain due to accumulation of belly fat
2. Hair loss: Increased male hormones androgen cause loss of hairs
3. Hirsutism / Facial Hair: Increases as androgen levels increase
4. Irregular Periods: Disturbed levels of oestrogen and anovulation leads to Irregular periods
5. Acne / Pimples on face: Increased male hormones i.e. androgens make facial skin oil and develop more Acne and Pimples
6. Infertility: Due to absence of ovulation, women fertility is decreased and have trouble in conceiving

Is there any treatment for PCOS?
Yes there are multiple treatment options for PCOS /PCOD. Depending upon your condition, physician’s opinion and your preferences there is_

1. Medical treatment to PCOS with drugs used in Diabetes like Metformin
2. Surgical treatment for cysts in ovary
3. Laser treatment for facial hair removal
4. Alternative medicines i.e. Ayurvedic herbs and herbal formulation
5. Lifestyle and Diet improvement

Can PCOS/PCOD be cured permanently?

No. PCOS/ PCOD has no permanent cure but we can manage symptoms and can definitely ease her suffering.

Which is best therapy for PCOS?

Every therapy has its own advantage and disadvantages but side effects of Medical treatment are cumbersome as treatment is of long duration in PCOS. Surgical treatment & Laser treatment is very expensive and it does not cure the underlying cause. Alternative treatment with Ayurvedic herbs is mostly preferred by women as they don’t have side effects on long term use. Also ayurvedic herbs like Haldi, Amla, Giloy & Karela are very gentle yet effective for women suffering from PCOS/PCOD and present in Hyponidd tablets from Charak Pharma. We will help you to explore all these herbs actions in managing all common symptoms of PCOS in our next blogs on PCOS.