Polycystic ovary syndrome, also referred to as PCOS, is the most common hormone-based medical disorder among women of childbearing age, according to MayoClinic.com. Most women with PCOS experience enlarged ovaries containing a number of small cysts around the outer edges of the ovaries. Vitamins and nutritional supplements may be a helpful complementary therapy to medical treatment for PCOS. Consult your doctor before making significant dietary or lifestyle changes.
Healthy Eating and PCOS
A healthy lifestyle and diet overall can help alleviate some of the physical symptoms of PCOS, according to MayoClinic.com. Women with PCOS should choose complex carbohydrates rather than simple or refined carbs, and foods high in dietary fiber. Examples of high-fiber carbs include whole-wheat pastas, breads and cereals, beans, brown rice, barley and bulgur wheat. Losing any excess weight, and exercising regularly, can reduce the severity of PCOS symptoms.
Calcium-Vitamin D
A study published in the June 2009 issue of the "Taiwanese Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology" evaluated the potential benefits of metformin and calcium-vitamin D for women with PCOS. Metformin is an antidiabetic drug, which is also sometimes used to treat PCOS. The 60 study participants had infertility as a result of PCOS. A course of treatment with both metformin and calcium-vitamin D proved more effective than metformin or calcium-vitamin D alone in increasing fertility and prompting ovulation.
B-Group Vitamins
If you are prescribed metformin as treatment for your PCOS, it is possible you will experience an increase in your homocysteine levels. Homocysteine is an amino acid that contains sulfur; elevated serum levels of homocysteine are considered a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. A study published in the June 2005 issue of the journal "Human Reproduction" indicates that nutritional supplementation with B group vitamins can almost cancel out the homocysteine increase associated with short-term metformin treatment.
Folic Acid
Folic acid is also used as a nutritional supplement for women with PCOS who are treated with metformin. In a study published in June 2005 in "Human Reproduction," a 12-week course of metformin treatment for PCOS resulted in a 26.5 percent increase in serum homocysteine levels. Administration of B-group vitamins resulted in a 21.2 percent decrease in homocysteine levels. Patients who were given folic acid supplements following metformin treatment saw an 8.3 percent decrease in serum homocysteine levels.
References
- MayoClinic.com; Polycystic Ovary Syndrome; Dec. 8, 2009
- "Taiwanese Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology"; The Effects of Calcium-Vitamin D and Metformin on Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: A Pilot Study; B. Rashidi et al.; June 2009
- InfertilitySpecialist.com: PCOS, Metformin and Insulin Resistance
- "Human Reproduction"; Homocysteine Levels in Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Treated with Metformin versus Rosiglitazone; E.B. Kilicdag et al.; April 2005
- "Human Reproduction"; Administration of B-group Vitamins Reduces Circulating Homocysteine in Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome Patients Treated with Metformin; E.B. Kilicdag et al.; June 2005
