#pcosstrong

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) is a hormonal condition that affects 12-21% of women of reproductive age. Women with PCOS may experience a range of health complications including reduced fertility.

PCOS is attributed to varying symptoms including hair loss, ovarian cysts, chronic fatigue, and changes in a woman’s menstrual cycle. Despite being a relatively common condition, the differing symptoms of PCOS can make it difficult to diagnose, resulting in up to 70% of women with PCOS remaining undiagnosed.

That’s why it’s important for women to learn what periods are like with PCOS. As it’s not a ‘one size fits all’ condition, you may be experiencing a symptom of PCOS and not be aware of it.

Let’s look at some common characteristics of periods with PCOS.

1. Consistently irregular periods

Some women’s periods run like clockwork, and some do not. But while it’s completely normal to have the odd period that arrives a day or two late, when your periods are consistently sporadic, it may be an indication of PCOS.

The average menstrual cycle is 28 days, but anything between 21 and 35 days is considered within normal range. An irregular period can be defined as having eight or less cycles each year, or having cycles that last longer than 35 days.

Sporadic timing of your period may be attributed to a number of factors, including PCOS, so it’s important to get checked out if your cycle is out of regular range.

2. No periods at all

Some women with PCOS experience an absence of periods for three or more consecutive cycles. This is known as amenorrhea, and it’s one of the major causes of infertility in women with PCOS. After all, if there are no periods, that means no egg is being released as part of a menstrual cycle.

It’s a good idea to keep note of your cycle, so you can always tell how long it’s been since your last menstruation. If you notice a three month break between periods, see a GP about a referral to a gynaecologist who can investigate the cause.

3. Very heavy periods

Sometimes women with PCOS experience heavier bleeding during their menstrual cycle. The technical name for this is menorrhagia, and it’s caused by low levels of progesterone associated with PCOS.

Menorrhagia is characterised by severe bleeding that lasts for seven days or longer. The average blood loss during a regular period is usually 40-40ml. Women suffering from menorrhagia can pass more than 80ml of blood, and also experience clotting during their period.

Many women are raised to believe that heavy periods are just a ‘part of being a woman’. While periods are typically a bit heavier in adolescence, overly heavy periods may be a sign of an underlying issue, and should be investigated.

4. PCOS Painful Periods

Heavy periods usually go hand-in-hand with more uncomfortable symptoms such as cramping (dysmenorrhea). While many women often feel relief after applying a hot water bottle and taking Paracetamol, for others menstrual cramps can be absolutely debilitating.

Painful periods are a very common symptom of both PCOS and endometriosis. If you are experiencing pelvic pain during your period or between periods, it’s important to find the root cause. There are a number of options available to treat the underlying condition and manage your symptoms so you don’t continue to suffer.

Where to seek further advice

Me, diagnosed with an incurable chronic pain condition:

Inositol is a vitamin-like nutrient that the body needs in small amounts for normal cell function, growth, and development. Inositol is also considered a popular supplement for women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), but is it actually helpful?

What is Inositol?

Inositol, also known as vitamin B8, naturally occurs in a variety of foods such as fruits, grains, nuts, beans, and organ meats. It is a type of sugar alcohol with half the sweetness of table sugar (sucrose).

Though often referred to as vitamin B8, inositol is considered a pseudovitamin simply because it is not an essential nutrient.1 Its presence is vital in the body but a deficiency does not translate to an actual medical condition. Besides, the body can easily synthesize it from glucose.

Vitamins are considered essential nutrients because the body cannot synthesize enough of them to meet bodily needs and therefore must be obtained from food and supplements.

Why is it Important?

Inositol plays an important role in providing structure to cells and helps in regulating multiple pathways:

Insulin action

Chemical messengers in the brain

Lipid metabolism

Cell growth and differentiation

Maturation of egg cells

Fertility

So what does research say about the benefits of Inositol for women with PCOS?

1. Inositol May Restore Ovulation

A meta-analysis of 10 randomized trials revealed that inositol was associated with improved ovulation rate and increased frequency of menstruation compared with placebo.

A 2010 study in 42 women with PCOS showed that the use of Myo-Inositol in combination with folic acid resulted in spontaneous ovulation in 65% of the patients with 35% obtaining pregnancy. In the metformin group, by contrast, only 50% ovulated and 18.3% become pregnant.

2. Inositol May Reduce Testosterone Levels

In lean women with PCOS, D-chiro-inositol decreased free testosterone by 73% with no change in the placebo group. Six of the 10 women in the D-chiro-inositol group ovulated in comparison with 2 of 10 women in the placebo group.

Results from a double-blind study on the use of Myo-Inositol also showed promising results. In patients treated with Myo-Inositol, the total testosterone decreased from 99.5 to 34.8, free testosterone decreased from 0.85 to 0.24. Improvement in metabolic factors was also reported.

PCOS patients with acne and hirsutism showed significant improvements after receiving Myo-Inositol for six months.11 Testosterone and free testosterone levels significantly decreased, as well as basal insulin levels.

3. Inositol May Improve Insulin Resistance

D-chiro-inositol is involved in insulin metabolism. Patients with diabetes or impaired glucose tolerance have low levels of D-chiro-inositol in the urine. Both Myo-Inositol and D-chiro-inositol seem to improve insulin sensitivity, especially in women with higher fasting insulin levels (greater than 12 µU/mL).

The enzyme epimerase converts myo-inositol to d-chiro-inositol. Supplementing with Myo-Inositol alone may have a potentially additive benefit when combined with lifestyle changes in the management of PCOS and insulin resistance.

4. Inositol May Play A Role in the Prevention of Gestational Diabetes

PCOS is linked with insulin resistance and impaired glucose tolerance, which increases your risk for gestational diabetes. It is a condition in which your glucose levels become high during pregnancy. Although evidence is limited, the use of Myo-Inositol (4 g daily) and folic acid (400 µg daily) throughout pregnancy may help prevent gestational diabetes in women with a family history of diabetes.14

What Type of Inositol is Best for PCOS?

Research shows that Myo-Inositol may have a role in improving menstrual cycles, ovulation, and improving metabolic changes in PCOS.