Polycystic ovary syndrome, or PCOS, is a disorder that affects 5 to 10 percent of women in the United States. It is the number one cause for female infertility, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. PCOS often occurs to women of childbearing age, usually in their 20s and 30s. Women with PCOS may have problems with blood glucose control.
Causes and Symptoms
Excess androgen production by the ovaries underlies the development of PCOS. Androgens are male hormones, which cause symptoms such as a deepened voice, decreased breast size, increased body hair and thinning hair on the head in women with PCOS. PCOS patients are often unable to ovulate and their ovaries may adopt a characteristic appearance of more than eight follicles lining up like a ring, which gives the name polycystic ovary syndrome. The eggs in these follicles fail to mature, leaving the follicles to eventually form the cysts in the ovaries. Women with PCOS often experience period irregularities and infertility.
Blood Sugar Control in PCOS
Women with PCOS have an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes. However, before the onset of diabetes, the blood sugar is usually under control. As such, it is normal for a woman with PCOS to have a fasting blood sugar of 85 to 100 mg/dL, which falls within the normal range of less than 100 mg/dL. A fasting blood sugar of 100 to 125 mg/dL signals the seeding of diabetes development in a stage known as pre-diabetes. Diabetes is diagnosed when the fasting blood sugar is higher than 125 mg/dL. You should not have any calorie intake for at least eight hours before the blood test for fasting blood sugar.
PCOS, Insulin Resistance and Diabetes
Insulin, the principle hormone that lowers blood sugar, is often elevated in women with PCOS. Women with PCOS often have insulin resistance, a condition whereby your body no longer responds well to insulin. Your pancreas produces more insulin to compensate. The resulting high insulin level stimulates the production of hormones such as androgens and luteinizing hormone, all of which disrupt ovulation. Overtime, the overworked pancreas fails and the insulin level drops, allowing blood glucose to rise uncontrollably and resulting in type-2 diabetes. It is common for women with PCOS to develop type-2 diabetes.
Other Complications
Women with PCOS are at increased risks for diseases, such as heart disease, hypertension, sleep apnea, endometrial cancer, in addition to type-2 diabetes. In particular, the risk of heart attack is 4 to 7 times higher in women with PCOS compared with age-matched women without PCOS, according to womenshealth.gov. Women with PCOS often have abnormal blood lipids such as high bad cholesterol and low good cholesterol. However, daily exercise combined with diet changes, such as limiting added sugar and processed foods and including more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, can help lower the risks of complications. Daily exercise for at least 30 minutes a day can alleviate the symptoms of PCOS mainly through the improvement of insulin function.
References
- PubMed Health; Polycystic Ovary Syndrome; March 31, 2011
- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Infertility FAQ's; December 28, 2009
- The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists: Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
- Womenshealth.gov; Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: Frequently Asked Questions; March 17, 2010
- "Huntington Reproductive in California"; Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, Insulin Resistance, & Metformin: Latest Developments; I. L. Wong
