Polycystic ovary syndrome, more commonly known as PCOS, affects seven million women in the United States, or between 5 and 10 percent of American women, according to Marcelle Cedars, M.D. of the University of California, San Francisco Center for Reproductive Health. Women with PCOS have an excess of male hormones, called androgens. About 50 to 60 percent of all women with PCOS suffer from obesity, registered dietician Martha McKittrick states on OBGYN. Women with PCOS also have increased levels of insulin, associated with development of diabetes, a higher risk a diabetes and often don't menstruate or ovulate regularly. Many have excess facial and body hair. Dietary measures can help with weight loss and symptoms of PCOS.
Step 1
Plan a diet for PCOS with your medical practitioners. To design a plan that fits your specific needs, consider meeting with a registered dietician to discuss how many calories to eat a day and how best to divide your calorie intake between protein, carbohydrates and fats.
Step 2
Incorporate more carbohydrates with a low-glycemic index into your diet, McKittrick suggests. Carbohydrates with a low-glycemic index take longer to digest than those with a high-glycemic index, which decreases hunger and also have less effect on your blood sugar. High-glycemic foods tend to be less complex carbohydrates, but many fruits also have a low-glycemic index. A study conducted by UC Davis researcher Sidika Kasim-Karakas also found that increasing proteins and decreasing simple sugars and carbohydrates benefitted PCOS patient.
Step 3
Correlate your carbohydrate intake with weight loss and symptom improvement. Obese women with PCOS who have insulin resistance may need to eat fewer carbohydrates than others, starting at 40 percent of their total intake and working downward, if need be, McKittrick states, but cautions that working with a dietician helps ensure that the plan you follow will work best for you.
Step 4
Replace saturated fats with unsaturated fats high in Omega-3 fatty acids. Since women with PCOS have an increased risk of heart disease, also associated with high saturated fat intake, switching to unsaturated fats could reduce your chance of heart disease. Try substituting Omega-3 fatty acids such as canola oil and fatty fish for vegetable oil and fatty meats, which can help reduce lipid levels and decrease atherosclerosis.
Step 5
Lose at least 5 to 10 percent of your weight. While 5 to 10 percent doesn't sound like much, it's enough to start regular menstrual cycles in as many as 60 percent of women, Dr. Cedars reports. Weight loss remains the primary treatment for PCOS, she stresses.
Tips and Warnings
- PCOS often causes infertility. If you have PCOS and want to get pregnant, consider seeing a fertility specialist if you don't get pregnant on your own within a few months, even if your symptoms improve with diet.
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