PCOS Treatment

If you are one of the many women diagnosed with PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome) you may have been prescribed the Pill and Metformin.  Unfortunately these medications will not resolve the underlying hormonal imbalances, even if they do help mask some of your symptoms.  

PCOS is commonly associated with increased testosterone and insulin resistance.  These imbalances contribute to acne, male pattern hair growth, weight gain, irregular menstrual cycles, reduced or no ovulation and infertility. The symptoms experienced can differ between women.

Fortunately there are other effective treatment options that will help support healthy hormone balance, resolve symptoms and support optimal ovulation and fertility.  

• Herbs including Paeonia, Licorice, Cinnamon and the herbal compound Berberine can help support hormone balance, ovarian function and improve insulin sensitivity.

• Inositol may help reduce elevated testosterone and acne.

• Zinc is vital for healthy ovulation and hormone balance and also helps to reduce acne and heal skin. Facial hair growth may be related to the conversion of excess testosterone to dihydrotestosterone - and zinc helps to reduce this conversion.

• Magnesium deficiency has been associated with insulin resistance and studies show that supplementing with magnesium can improve insulin sensitivity. There are also added benefits from taking magnesium such as calming your nervous system, improving sleep and reducing cramps and headaches.

• Reducing sugar consumption is imperative - focus on eating a variety of vegetables with adequate protein and healthy fats. What you eat everyday will have the biggest impact on your blood sugar, insulin levels and hormone health.

• Liver support is also important when correcting hormonal imbalances as it plays a large role in hormone metabolism. Herbs such as St Mary's Thistle are great for this, and you can also include cruciferous vegetables, turmeric, ginger, rosemary, onions and garlic in your diet to support liver function.

• Chemicals in pesticides, plastics, body care products and cleaning products also disrupt hormones so avoiding these as much as possible is a great idea for hormone and overall health! There are many natural alternatives available so it can be as simple as switching products next time you need to replace something.

• Lastly working on stress management and supporting healthy gut function will also support healthy hormone balance and allow your body to clear excess hormones.

While these are the most common imbalances and treatment of PCOS, every woman is different and may have different contributing factors or influences.  Saliva testing is a great way to assess hormone levels and help determine the best treatment for you.

If you would like more personalised support in restoring hormone balance I'd love to help you.

Marion McConnell is a degree qualified Naturopath who helps women with stress, hormone imbalances, anxiety and fatigue.  The clinic is located in New Farm Brisbane, and consultations are also available via Skype.  You can contact Marion here.

Why The Pill Will Not Fix Your Hormone Imbalance

It is a sad fact that women who present to their GP with hormonal symptoms are nearly always prescribed the pill.  The other options offered are the Mirena or in severe cases a partial or full hysterectomy.  It makes me feel sad that many women feel these are their only options!

While the pill may help reduce symptoms it is in no way fixing the underlying hormonal imbalance.  Your hormonal imbalance will continue to exist and when you stop the pill it's likely your symptoms will return or will have worsened.  While the pill is busy masking your symptoms it is also depleting your body of essential nutrients including B vitamins including folate, vitamin C, zinc and magnesium. 

There are many factors which can contribute to hormonal imbalances and having one blanket approach to the problem is unlikely to address womens individual needs.

Your menstrual cycle is an important indicator of your bodies health, so just masking your symptoms or using drugs to skip your period indefinitely is like putting your head in the sand!  However this approach is recommended to women every day by health professionals.

While there is a place for the pill and it's ability to help make womens symptoms bearable, there are many other treatment options that can help restore your hormones to a happy balance without side effects, and which many women are unaware of.  I don't want any woman taking the pill to feel bad, but just to be educated on the other options available to them, so that they can make a more informed choice on treatment options. 

Some hormonal issues such as endometriosis are now being shown to involve an underlying auto-immune issue, which Naturopathic treatment can also help with, but for which the pill will do nothing.

With salivary hormone and other blood tests we can better understand where your hormones are at now, possible contributing factors which led to the imbalance, and how best to restore hormone balance and improve your symptoms for good!

A hormonal imbalance can present with many symptoms and can also have a huge impact on your fertility.  So it's a great idea to work on any hormone issues now, so that in the future if you want to have children you will be much more likely to conceive and carry to term without complications.

Hormonal imbalances also contribute to diseases including fibrocystic breast disease, uterine fibroids, ovarian cysts, polycystic ovary syndrome and breast cancer.  So ensuring your hormones are in balance now, and learning how to keep them in balance, will reduce your risk of hormonal related disease later in life.

If you suffer from any hormonal symptoms such as irregular/heavy/painful periods, acne, PMS, endometriosis or ovarian cysts, please know that there are many effective Naturopathic treatment options available.  I would love to help you restore a happy hormone balance and eliminate your symptoms for good! 

Marion McConnell is a degree qualified Naturopath who helps women with stress, hormone imbalances and thyroid issues.  The clinic is located in New Farm Brisbane, and consultations are also available via Skype.  You can contact Marion here.