PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome) And Weight Gain
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PCOS, which is short for Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, can cause a variety of symptoms. The earliest symptoms of PCOS can be varied. For some women, the first symptoms of PCOS are that they are having very few or even no periods. This typically is measured by having less than 9 periods in a twelve month timeframe. Some women with PCOS will have no period whatsoever. Some will have regular periods, but may not ovulate every month, or at all. Another early symptom of PCOS can be heavy and irregular vaginal bleeding. Around one third of all women with PCOS will have some vaginal bleeding. Another early symptom can be the loss of hair on the head, and growth of hair in other places. More than two thirds of the women who have PCOS experience hair loss or hair growth in unwanted places. For some women with PCOS, oily skin and acne can be symptoms as well.
Later symptoms of PCOS that will typically develop gradually over time can include:
- Infertility. This occurs when PCOS interferes with ovulation.
- Repeated miscarriages. The high insulin levels associated with PCOS can sometimes be responsible for miscarriages.
- Hyperinsulinemia, or too much insulin. This can lead to many of the other symptoms. Signs of too much insulin can include weight gain in the upper body, skin tags, and patches of dark skin on the neck, in the genital area, or under the arm.
- Weight gain in the upper body. This weight gain would typically be concentrated in the belly, as opposed to the hips.
- Sleep apnea or other sleeping problems.
- Chronic pelvic pain.
- High blood pressure.
One of the most common and most pronounced symptoms of PCOS can be weight gain, particularly upper body weight gain. Many times, women who have PCOS become insulin resistant. Insulin resistance tends to develop slowly and over time, and greatly affects a woman’s metabolism. This insulin resistance makes it much easier for a woman to gain weight, and also makes taking weight off more difficult. In addition, the production of androgens, or male hormones, is a common side effect of PCOS. The production of androgens not only produces symptoms such as abnormal hair growth or hair loss, it can also be responsible for weight gain.
There is no known cure for Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS). However, there are certain treatments that are often used to address the symptoms of PCOS, such as weight gain. Some health care providers will recommend diabetic medications, such as Metformin, to help the patient with PCOS. Also known as Glucophage, this medication impacts the way that insulin regulates glucose, and it also helps to cause a decrease in the production of testosterone. By working both on insulin resistance as well as the production of androgens, Metformin can assist a woman with getting a handle on her weight gain.
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