Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome & Low Carb Diets

If you have an irregular menstrual cycle, are overweight, have acne, feel depressed, have trouble breathing while you sleep, suffer from pain in the lower abdomen, have high blood pressure and high blood cholesterol levels, you could have polycycstic ovary syndrome, or PCOS. Talk to your doctor to make sure you are diagnosed accurately. PCOS is the most common endocrine disorder in women, according to the PCOSupport website, and may result in infertility in some women. Fortunately, adopting a healthy lifestyle including regular physical activity and the right diet can help you not only alleviate your symptoms, but also reduce your risk of being infertile.

Insulin Resistance

Although the cause underlying the development of PCOS is still unknown, it appears that it is often associated with insulin resistance, a condition in which your body no longer responds appropriately to the hormone insulin, which is responsible for controlling your blood sugar levels among other functions. Insulin resistance is often associated with weight gain or trouble losing weight, and it can wreak havoc on your blood sugar levels, leading to inconsistent energy levels and carbohydrate cravings, which further exacerbate the problem.

Low-Fat Diets Do Not Work

Low-fat diets are routinely recommended to people who need to lose weight. Unfortunately, a low-fat diet is not effective if you have PCOS. When you reduce the fat in your diet, a higher proportion of your diet is made of carbohydrates consumption. A higher carbohydrate intake results in higher insulin levels, which further exacerbate your insulin resistance problem associated with PCOS. This is why low-fat diets can lead to weight gain and a worsening of your symptoms if you have PCOS.

Low-Carb Diets and PCOS

Women with PCOS are usually advised to limit their carbohydrate intake to below 40 percent of the calorie intake, which corresponds to less than 160 g of carbohydrates based on a 1,600-calorie diet. However, for many women with PCOS, this level of carbohydrate intake is still too high and a lower carb intake is often beneficial. A pilot study published in December 2005 in "Nutrition & Metabolism" reports that a group of five women with PCOS followed a low-carb diet providing 20 g of carbohydrates a day, mostly from non-starchy vegetables, for a period of 24 weeks. By the end of the study, the women decreased their body weight by an average 12 percent and their insulin levels by 54 percent, which indicates an improvement in their insulin resistance. Interestingly, two of the women included in this group who previously had fertility problems became pregnant while following the low-carb diet.

Going Low-Carb

Before going on a low-carb diet, it is advisable to consult your doctor. If you take medications, adjustments may be required, and having baseline blood work done can help you evaluate objectively the benefit of a low-carb diet down the road. Decide to what degree you wish to restrict your carb intake and start counting your carbs. Eliminate or reduce your intake of high-carb foods like pasta, rice, bread, potatoes, breakfast cereals, sweets, sugary beverages, desserts, fruits and yogurt. Base your meals on non-starchy vegetables, lean protein and healthy fats.