PCOS and Weight Loss: What Works? What Doesn’t?

Many women suffering Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)  have problems with their weight. More than 50% of women with PCOS are overweight or obese and most of them experience problems with weight loss. This problem is related to insulin resistance, a condition that affects to a vast number of women with PCOS.

Insulin has as main role to control blood sugar levels.  In this process there are a few molecules taking part of it.  They are glucose, insulin, Myo Inositol and D-Chiro-Inositol. D-Chiro-Inositol as well as Myo-Inositol are attached to another molecule called phosphoglycan turning to DCI IPG and MYO IPG respectively. They both anchor themselves out of the cell waiting to respond to the hormone insulin. The cells involve in the process are muscle and fat cells and zygote cell of the ovaries that produce testosterone. The pancreas releases insulin as a response of high levels of sugar in the blood stream. This tells to the body to start absorbing sugar from the blood. Then DCI-IPG and MYO-IPG go into the cells to respond to insulin. DCI IPG tells the cells to burn or storage sugar and MYO-IPG tells the cells to produce testosterone. When sugar is used insulin level goes down and the zygote cells stop making testosterone. In the case of absence of DCI-IPG, only MYO-IPG is left for the insulin response, causing a hormonal imbalance. No glucose disposal means chronical high levels of insulin and the zygotes cell are constantly producing testosterone. In this case, taking a DCI supplement can help to solve this deficiency.

Excess of sugar in the blood normally implies a shortage of sugar in the cells, meaning that cells are constantly starving for energy and that leads to hunger and cravings.

Therefore, insulin resistance in women with PCOS have as a consequence higher levels of testosterone, which will lead to loss of hair, growth of unwanted hair in the body, acne, masculine adipose distribution, disrupted or absence of menstrual cycle and infertility; and high levels of insulin that make these women being hungry more often than usual.

High levels of insulin and testosterone interfere with normal development of the follicle in the ovaries. As a result many follicles tend to develop but not fully develop.

Excess of fat can make insulin resistance worse, so loosing weight, even though is difficult, can reduce high level of insulin. Because the overweight in women with PCOS is produced for a male hormone, the fat tends to cumulate in the abdomen, giving to the woman an “apple shape” rather than a “pear shape” (more common in overweight women).

Reducing levels of insulin can be achieved by adding healthy habit to lifestyle, like a low glycemic index  diet, practicing regular exercise, increasing number of meals (better five small meals that three large).

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