Lean PCOS and Its Unique Challenges

While PCOS is often associated with weight gain, lean PCOS presents its own set of challenges, marked by hormonal imbalances and symptoms that may not be immediately obvious. PCOS typically conjures an image of weight gain and hormonal imbalances, but lean PCOS challenges this stereotype. In lean PCOS, individuals may have a relatively normal body mass index (BMI) but still experience the hallmark symptoms of the condition. It's a lesser-understood variation that requires special attention and awareness.

Signs of Lean PCOS

The subtlety of lean PCOS symptoms emphasizes the importance of recognising and addressing this unique presentation of the condition. Here are some symptoms that lean PCOS may be a factor in your experience:

• Hormonal Imbalances: Irregular periods, elevated androgen levels, and other hormonal disruptions may be present, even in the absence of significant weight gain.
• Ovulatory Challenges: Difficulty in ovulation and fertility concerns may be prevalent, impacting reproductive health.
• Insulin Resistance: Lean individuals with PCOS can still experience insulin resistance, contributing to metabolic challenges.
• Skin Concerns: Acne, oily skin, and other skin issues may manifest, indicating underlying hormonal imbalances.

Exploring the intricacies of lean PCOS involves understanding how hormonal imbalances and metabolic factors contribute to its unique challenges:

• Androgen Overload: Elevated androgen levels can disrupt ovulation, lead to acne, and impact fertility, even in individuals with a lean body type.
• Insulin Resistance: Insulin resistance, often associated with weight gain, can still be present and contribute to hormonal disruptions in lean PCOS.
• Ovulation Disruptions: Lean PCOS can lead to anovulatory cycles, affecting menstrual regularity and fertility.

• Metabolic Quirks: Lean individuals with PCOS may have distinct metabolic profiles, emphasizing the importance of tailored interventions.

Managing Lean PCOS

Recognizing lean PCOS helps those of us with it to adopt a specialised approach to management, focussing on hormonal balance and overall wellbeing. 

If you’d like to find out more about how you can manage lean PCOS through diet and lifestyle, why not book a free call with our team – just click here to book.

PCOS and Inflammation

While hormonal imbalances often take centre stage in discussions about PCOS, there's another crucial piece of the puzzle that deserves attention: inflammation. 

Inflammation often emerges as a silent contributor, exacerbating symptoms and affecting various bodily processes. While inflammation is the body's natural response to injury or illness, it is designed as an acute response. Perfect if you’ve cut your finger or been bitten by a gnat. However, when inflammation becomes chronic or dysregulated, it can wreak havoc on multiple systems, including those implicated in PCOS.

Symptoms of inflammation often overlap with common PCOS symptoms, making it crucial to recognize the potential link. Some tell-tale signs of inflammation driven PCOS include:

• Persistent Acne: Inflammation can contribute to the development of acne by increasing oil production and clogging pores, leading to recurring breakouts that many women with PCOS experience.
• Unexplained Weight Gain: Chronic inflammation can disrupt hormonal signalling pathways, potentially leading to unexplained weight gain or difficulty in shedding weight.
• Elevated Androgen Levels: Inflammation may stimulate the ovaries to produce more androgens, exacerbating the hormonal imbalances inherent in PCOS.
• Insulin Resistance: Inflammation interferes with insulin signalling, a hallmark of PCOS. The resulting insulin resistance can further fuel inflammation, creating a vicious cycle.
• Mood Fluctuations: Inflammation can affect neurotransmitter function, potentially contributing to mood swings, anxiety, and depression – all of which are prevalent in PCOS.

How *Exactly* does Inflammation Fuel PCOS

Inflammation affects PCOS by involving various pathways, each impacting the other in a complex web of cause and effect:

• Hormonal Havoc: Chronic inflammation can disrupt the intricate balance of hormones implicated in PCOS, potentially exacerbating the hormonal rollercoaster experienced by those with the condition.
• Oxidative Stress: Inflammation triggers oxidative stress, a process wherein the body's antioxidant defences are overwhelmed by harmful molecules called free radicals. Oxidative stress can further damage cells and exacerbate PCOS symptoms.
• Insulin Resistance Intensified: Inflammation can amplify insulin resistance by disrupting the delicate signaling processes that govern how cells respond to this critical hormone.
• Disrupted Ovulation: Inflammation can disturb the ovulatory process, contributing to irregular menstrual cycles and fertility challenges common in PCOS.

Managing Inflammation in PCOS

Recognizing inflammation as a driver of PCOS symptoms opens the door to a more holistic and comprehensive approach to management. Implementing strategies to quench inflammation can help alleviate symptoms and promote overall wellbeing. 

Consider these steps:

A Nutrient-dense Diet: Focus on an anti-inflammatory diet rich in whole, unprocessed foods, abundant in antioxidants, omega-3 fatty acids, and fibre.

Regular Exercise: Engage in regular physical activity, which can help mitigate inflammation and improve insulin sensitivity.

Stress Management: Chronic stress contributes to inflammation. Prioritize stress-reduction techniques like mindfulness, meditation, and deep breathing.

Sleep Quality: Aim for adequate, restorative sleep, as sleep deprivation can exacerbate inflammation.

Supplement Support: Certain supplements have ingredients with potent anti-inflammatory properties and can be beneficial for individuals with PCOS.

However, getting to the root cause of the inflammation can be one of the best steps you can take. Looking at gut health, food sensitivities and intolerances, and ways to lose weight can help decrease your inflammatory load.  Want to know more? Why not book a call and discuss what’s going on with you – just click here to book.

Stress and Cortisol as Drivers of PCOS

While hormonal imbalances are frequently discussed in the context of PCOS, there's an underlying factor that may be contributing more than you realize: stress and its associated hormone, cortisol. 

Research shows that stress is emerging as a significant player in driving PCOS, potentially exacerbating symptoms and influencing hormonal imbalances. Stress triggers the release of cortisol, a hormone produced by the adrenal glands in response to perceived threats. While cortisol serves a vital role in the body's fight-or-flight response, chronic stress can lead to dysregulation, impacting various systems and possibly contributing to the development and progression of PCOS.

Stress-Related Signs of PCOS

Here are some tell-tale signs that stress and cortisol may be exacerbating your PCOS:

• Irregular Menstrual Cycles: Chronic stress can disrupt the delicate balance of hormones responsible for menstrual regulation, leading to irregular periods commonly seen in PCOS.
• Elevated Androgens: Stress-induced cortisol fluctuations may influence the production of androgens, further exacerbating the hormonal imbalances inherent in PCOS.
• Insulin Resistance: Cortisol can promote insulin resistance, a hallmark of PCOS that can worsen with chronic stress.
• Weight Management Challenges: Stress-driven hormonal changes can impact appetite regulation, potentially leading to weight gain or difficulty in losing weight.
• Mood Fluctuations: Chronic stress can contribute to mood swings, anxiety, and depression – all of which are prevalent in individuals with PCOS.

How does cortisol affect our hormones?

While cortisol does not directly impact the production of female sex hormones, such as oestrogen and progesterone, it can indirectly influence the balance of these hormones through its interactions with the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis.

Here's how cortisol can affect the female sex hormone balance:

HPA Axis Interaction: The HPA axis, which controls the stress response, involves the hypothalamus, pituitary gland, and adrenal glands. Chronic stress and elevated cortisol levels can disrupt the HPA axis and lead to dysregulation of other hormonal systems, including the HPG (hypothalamus-pituitary-gonad) axis responsible for regulating sex hormones.

Disruption of Menstrual Cycle: High levels of chronic stress and cortisol can lead to irregular menstrual cycles or even amenorrhea (absence of menstrual periods) in some women. This disruption in the menstrual cycle can impact the balance of oestrogen and progesterone, which are essential for normal reproductive function.

Impaired Ovulation: Cortisol can affect the production of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH), a hormone that triggers the release of luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH). These hormones are crucial for ovulation and the regulation of the menstrual cycle. Disruptions in the GnRH-LH-FSH pathway due to stress and cortisol can lead to anovulation (lack of ovulation) and hormonal imbalances.

Insulin Resistance: Chronic stress and elevated cortisol levels can contribute to insulin resistance, a condition where the body's cells become less responsive to insulin. Insulin resistance is often associated with PCOS.

Progesterone Production: Stress and cortisol can also affect the production of progesterone, a hormone that is important for maintaining pregnancy and regulating the menstrual cycle. Chronic stress may lead to inadequate progesterone levels, which can impact fertility and menstrual regularity.

Managing Stress for PCOS Wellbeing

Acknowledging the influence of stress and cortisol on PCOS opens the door to a better way of dealing with it. Strategies to help decrease stress and promote cortisol balance can play a pivotal role in alleviating symptoms:

• Mindfulness and Meditation: Practicing mindfulness and meditation techniques can help regulate stress hormones and promote relaxation.
• Regular Physical Activity: Engaging in regular exercise can reduce stress, improve mood, and support hormonal balance.
• Adequate Sleep: Prioritize quality sleep, as sleep deprivation can contribute to stress and exacerbate PCOS symptoms.
• Stress-Reduction Techniques: Explore stress-reduction techniques such as deep breathing, yoga, or aromatherapy to promote relaxation.
• Support Network: Building a strong support network and seeking professional guidance can provide valuable tools for managing stress.

By addressing stress through changes in lifestyle, implementing regular stress-reduction techniques, and a supportive network, women with PCOS can take steps towards restoring hormonal balance, alleviating symptoms, and enhancing overall quality of life. Remember, stress management isn't just a nice add-on to PCOS management – it's essential.

If you’d like to chat to us about how stress might be affecting your PCOS symptoms, why not book in a free call? You can book it by clicking here.

Navigating Weight Gain and PCOS

Among the challenges faced by us ladies with PCOS, unexplained weight gain stands out as a significant concern for many of us. Despite huge efforts to maintain a healthy lifestyle, weight gain may persist, especially around our middles. And trying to lose weight becomes a formidable challenge, often requiring loads more effort compared to those without PCOS.

Why is it so difficult to lose weight with PCOS?

It’s a complex condition, and there are several reasons why this might be the case:

• Insulin Resistance: Many women with PCOS have insulin resistance, which means their cells do not respond effectively to insulin, a hormone that regulates blood sugar levels. Insulin resistance can lead to higher levels of insulin in the body, which in turn promotes fat storage and makes it harder to lose weight.
• Hormonal Imbalances: PCOS is characterized by imbalances in hormones such as insulin, androgens (male hormones), and luteinizing hormone (LH). These imbalances can affect metabolism, appetite regulation, and fat storage, making weight loss more challenging.
• Increased Fat Storage: Insulin resistance and hormonal imbalances can lead to increased fat storage, particularly around the abdominal area. This type of fat, called visceral fat, is associated with higher health risks and can be stubborn to lose.
• Appetite Regulation: Hormonal imbalances can impact appetite regulation, leading to increased hunger and cravings, which can make it harder to stick to a calorie-restricted diet.
• Stress and Emotional Factors: Dealing with the challenges of PCOS, including its effects on fertility and physical appearance, can lead to stress and emotional eating, which can contribute to weight gain or hinder weight loss efforts.
• Difficulty with Exercise: Some women with PCOS may experience fatigue, joint pain, or other symptoms that make regular exercise more challenging. 
• Medications: Some medications commonly prescribed to manage PCOS symptoms, such as birth control pills or certain insulin-sensitizing medications, can also impact weight loss efforts.

Managing Weight Gain in PCOS

Strategies to address weight gain and promote overall wellbeing can make a significant difference in alleviating symptoms:

• Balanced Diet: Prioritize nutrient-dense, balanced diet rich in whole foods, fibre, lean proteins, and healthy fats.
• Regular Exercise: Engage in regular physical activity particularly strength training to support insulin sensitivity.
• Stress Management: Practice stress-reduction techniques like mindfulness, meditation, and yoga to mitigate stress-related weight gain.
• Hormone-Friendly Lifestyle: Focus on sleep quality, manage stress, and avoid xenoestrogens to support hormonal balance and weight management.
• Professional Guidance: Consult with one of our team of Registered Nutritional Therapists for personalised guidance.

If you are struggling with weight due to PCOS, why not come and chat to one of our team about what’s going on for you and how we can support you. Click here for a free call.

How can testing help with PCOS?

While traditional medical approaches focus on symptom management, Functional Medicine testing offers a promising avenue for deeper insights into the root causes of PCOS, allowing for more targeted and personalised strategies.

PCOS symptoms often manifest in various ways, from difficulty conceiving to acne, hair thinning, and weight gain. The conventional medical approach to PCOS often revolves around symptom management through hormonal birth control and other medications. 

However, many women seek other solutions, in addition to their medical care, that can address the underlying imbalances driving their condition.

Enter Functional Medicine Testing

Functional Medicine takes a different approach, focusing on identifying the root causes of health issues rather than just alleviating symptoms. This paradigm shift has gained traction in recent years, and for good reason. 

Functional Medicine Testing, a cornerstone of this approach, offers comprehensive insights into an individual's biochemical and physiological makeup. By examining factors such as genes, hormones, gut health, inflammation markers, and nutrient deficiencies, Functional Medicine Testing can provide a clearer picture of what's truly happening within the body of someone with PCOS.

Key Functional Medicine Tests for PCOS

Hormone Panel: A comprehensive hormone panel can uncover imbalances in sex hormones, including oestrogen, progesterone, and testosterone, and other key markers, which are central to PCOS. Understanding these imbalances can guide treatment strategies aimed at rebalancing hormone levels.

DUTCH test: The DUTCH (Dried Urine Test for Comprehensive Hormones) test assists by providing a comprehensive analysis of hormonal levels, including reproductive hormones, androgens, and stress hormones. This enables understanding of the key drivers of your particular symptoms of PCOS.

Insulin Sensitivity Testing or Blood Sugar Monitoring: Since insulin resistance often plays a role in PCOS, testing for insulin sensitivity or monitoring blood sugar can provide valuable insights into how the body is processing glucose. This can inform dietary and lifestyle recommendations to support blood sugar regulation.

Gut Health Assessment: Research suggests a connection between gut health and PCOS. A thorough gut health assessment, including tests for gut microbiota composition and integrity, can identify potential gastrointestinal factors contributing to PCOS symptoms.

Inflammatory Markers: Chronic inflammation is often associated with PCOS. Measuring markers of inflammation can help identify potential sources of inflammation and guide interventions to reduce it.

Nutrient Deficiency Testing: Nutrient imbalances or deficiencies can exacerbate PCOS symptoms. Testing for key nutrients like vitamin D, B vitamins, and minerals can guide targeted supplementation.

Genetic Testing: Genetic testing offers valuable insights into PCOS by unravelling your specific genetic foundations of the condition. By analysing specific genes and variations associated with hormonal regulation, insulin resistance, and inflammation, this testing can identify a person's genetic drivers, thus enabling a more targeted programme.

Benefits of Functional Medicine Testing for PCOS

How does FM testing help benefit women with PCOS? There are many reasons:

Personalised Treatment: Functional Medicine Testing allows for individualised programmes to be tailored to each person's unique physiological makeup, potentially leading to more effective outcomes.

Targeted Interventions: With a clearer understanding of the underlying imbalances driving your particular PCOS, our practitioners can recommend targeted interventions, including dietary adjustments, lifestyle changes, and supplements.

Long-Term Health: Addressing root causes through Functional Medicine Testing can promote long-term health and prevent future complications associated with PCOS, such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

Functional Medicine Testing represents a powerful tool in the management of PCOS, providing a comprehensive understanding of the underlying factors contributing to the condition. By addressing these root causes through personalized interventions, individuals with PCOS can take control of their health, alleviate symptoms, and work towards a better quality of life. 

As Functional Medicine continues to gain recognition, it offers new hope for those seeking a holistic and effective approach to managing PCOS. If you're dealing with PCOS, consider exploring the benefits of Functional Medicine Testing with one of our qualified practitioners to embark on a journey towards improved wellbeing – you can book a call here.

Always hungry? It might be your blood sugar...

One of the critical aspects to consider in managing PCOS is blood sugar balance. But what does that even mean? Let's dive in. 

If your blood sugar levels are wonky, you might experience the following PCOS-related symptoms:

• Frequent hunger, with an inability to go more than three hours without eating
• Irritability, mood swings, or heightened anxiety when hungry
• Difficulty concentrating or focussing
• Weakness or dizziness striking unexpectedly
• Trembling or shakiness that disrupts your day
• High levels of fatigue
• Uncontrollable cravings for caffeine, sugar or nicotine
• Mid-afternoon energy slumps that have you to reaching for sugary or carby snacks
• Waking up abruptly in the middle of the night

These signs could point towards blood sugar imbalance, a concern that's increasingly prevalent in today's fast-paced world. Our diets are often loaded with refined carbohydrates like bread, cereals, pasta, cakes, and cookies. The catch? We might not be incorporating sufficient protein or healthy fats into our meals, which can wreak havoc on our blood sugar levels. 

But how does this relate to PCOS?

In essence, the Western diet's emphasis on sugary and low-fibre foods results in rapid digestion, quick conversion into sugar, and subsequent absorption – culminating in blood sugar spikes. These spikes trigger a substantial release of insulin, a hormone responsible for transporting sugar into cells for energy. However, an excess of insulin can lead to a temporary drop in blood sugar levels below the norm.

What's the consequence? Your body might signal that it needs more food, potentially causing overeating and contributing to weight gain – a concern commonly faced by individuals dealing with PCOS. 

Moreover, the brain requires consistent energy for optimal function. Plunging blood sugar levels can impede brain performance, leading to difficulties in concentration, fatigue, racing thoughts, and an irresistible urge to reach for a quick snack.

With these recurring episodes, your body might perceive them as stressors, prompting the release of the stress hormone cortisol. Cortisol's role includes regulating blood sugar to ensure the body has enough energy for fight-or-flight responses – think escaping from a proverbial tiger. 

By boosting energy supplies, cortisol tries to counteract the stressor, which can further fuel the blood sugar imbalance, perpetuating a distressing cycle. In the long run, this cycle contributes to a rollercoaster of blood sugar levels, exacerbating symptoms.

And the blood sugar rollercoaster that you’re now on can lead to high levels of insulin – which is not a great thing if you have PCOS.

Why is high insulin problematic for PCOS?

High insulin levels play a significant role in the development and exacerbation of PCOS symptoms. Here's how:

Insulin resistance: If insulin is being released too frequently, insulin resistance can occur, which is when the body's cells start to become less responsive to the effects of insulin – almost like they’re deaf to it. This means that the body needs to produce more insulin to help regulate blood sugar levels. In people with PCOS, insulin resistance is common and can lead to even higher levels of insulin in the blood. Which can lead to…

Hyperinsulinaemia: Hyperinsulinemia refers to elevated levels of insulin in the blood. Insulin is not only involved in regulating blood sugar, but it also has other effects on the body. High insulin levels can stimulate the ovaries to produce more androgens (male hormones) such as testosterone. This can disrupt the delicate balance of hormones in the body and lead to various PCOS symptoms. Which can lead to…

Androgen Production: Elevated insulin levels can stimulate the ovaries to produce excess androgens. Androgens are normally present in both males and females but are typically at lower levels in females. In PCOS, the increased androgen production can lead to symptoms such as irregular or absent periods, unwanted hair growth on the face, chest and back, acne, weight gain and metabolic dysfunction.

Therefore, managing blood sugar balance and reversing insulin resistance are important aspects of managing PCOS and its symptoms. 

Specific diet and lifestyle changes can help improve insulin sensitivity, regulate hormonal imbalances, and alleviate the symptoms associated with PCOS. If you’d like to know more, why not book in a call to chat to one of our practitioners – just click here.