Polycystic ovaries keeping you from losing weight? Do the 6 things right to lose weight without regaining weight

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is a disease caused by hormonal imbalance. The cause is unknown and may be related to genetics, male hormones or insulin resistance. Insulin resistance means that for the same blood sugar concentration, the patient needs more insulin to allow glucose to enter the cells, but this will also increase the concentration of androgen (testosterone) in the female body, leading to polycystic ovary syndrome.

Are patients with polycystic ovary syndrome necessarily obese? The key to losing weight: insulin and androgen

Patients with polycystic ovary syndrome may not necessarily become obese, but they are indeed more likely to become obese and have difficulty losing weight. Patients usually have insulin resistance problems, which also makes polycystic ovary syndrome more likely to occur in obese women.

Insulin resistance will reduce insulin sensitivity, so the body will continue to secrete too much insulin, making patients feel hungry all the time. Guo Anni, an attending physician at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Zhongshan Hospital, said that patients will be prone to hunger and want to eat, and Especially those who love sweets and carbohydrates are more likely to lead to obesity. “Patient obesity is mainly related to the imbalance of the two major body hormones, androgen and insulin,” Li Weihao, a physician at the Obstetrics and Gynecology Department of Zhenxing Hospital, pointed out that due to insulin resistance, patients with polycystic ovary syndrome are more likely to accumulate fat, causing central type (waist and abdominal type) ) obesity and being overweight will make carbohydrate metabolism worse, insulin resistance more severe, androgens higher, forming a vicious cycle.

Guo Anni also explained that insulin resistance will cause a large amount of insulin to be secreted. Insulin will also affect the liver to produce sex hormone binding protein (SHBG). The decrease in sex hormone binding protein will lead to an increase in androgen, so insulin and androgen will affect each other.

Obesity may worsen symptoms, and patients with polycystic ovary syndrome need to control their weight　

Many people wonder why artists Xiao Zhen and Kun Ling both have polycystic ovary syndrome, but why Kun Ling can maintain a slender figure. Guo Anni explained, “Among obese women, 28% have polycystic ovary syndrome, and only 5% of women with polycystic ovary syndrome are thin. The severity of symptoms is actually related to the degree of obesity. If the weight is controlled from the beginning, the symptoms will be milder.

More and more medical studies have found that the severity of symptoms of polycystic ovary syndrome is related to the degree of obesity. Li Weihao said that due to the increase in insulin resistance, the body must produce more insulin to maintain a constant blood sugar level, but a high insulin state will worsen the resistance, causing fat accumulation and even metabolic syndrome. Therefore, the more obese patients develop polycystic ovary syndrome. Symptoms become more severe, including acne, hirsutism, chronic anovulation and obesity.

Therefore, weight control is very important for patients with polycystic ovary syndrome. “If the weight can be reduced by about 5 to 10%, the patient’s health condition can be improved, and some patients can even no longer use any oral medications,” Li Weihao said.

However, it is difficult for patients with polycystic ovary syndrome to lose weight. This is because obese patients with polycystic ovary syndrome often have hyperlipidemia, high triglycerides in the blood, and severe polycystic ovary syndrome. Patients often suffer from metabolic syndrome, so compared with the general population, the risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease is also significantly increased. “These metabolic problems will cause patients to be “easy to gain weight and difficult to lose weight,” so many patients stumble on the road to weight loss. Sometimes I finally achieve some success in losing weight, but then gain weight again immediately,” said Li Weihao.

How to manage weight with polycystic ovary syndrome? 6 key points need to be mastered besides controlling sugar

If you want to control your weight if you have polycystic ovary syndrome, you still have to start by changing your lifestyle habits. Among them, diet and exercise are the most important. Exercise needs to be done consistently and develop a habit. Li Weihao pointed out that exercise can also reduce the incidence of cardiovascular disease in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome and avoid the occurrence of metabolic syndrome.

In the diet section, it is recommended to stay away from starch, control carbohydrate intake, and adhere to the following principles:

• Eat low-GI foods: Eating low-GI foods can prevent diabetics from experiencing large blood sugar fluctuations and help control blood sugar. Low-GI foods can also provide a feeling of satiety, and the digestion and absorption rate is slow, making it less likely to feel hungry, which also helps For weight loss people to control their weight. (see table above)
• High-fiber diet: A high-fiber diet can help keep weight, blood pressure, and cholesterol low.
• Eat more protein: Avoid dairy products that are prone to inflammation. It is recommended to focus on plant-based proteins such as white meat and soy milk.
• Take Omega3: Women with more omega3 in their blood have lower androgens in their blood, have better cholesterol status, and have a lower risk of cardiovascular disease.

• Supplementing vitamins B6 and B12: Helps promote metabolism and stabilize mood.
• Supplement zinc-containing foods: Zinc deficiency will cause an increase in androgens. Zinc-containing foods such as pumpkin seeds, oysters, wheat germ, etc.

Guo Anni emphasized that patients with polycystic ovary syndrome should adhere to a low-sugar, high-fiber diet. Whole grains, fruits and vegetables should account for 50% of the diet, supplement more protein, and avoid high-fat and refined diets.

In addition, Li Weihao also mentioned that the intake of environmental hormone plasticizers should be reduced, avoid using plastic containers to hold overheated food, and reduce the use of plastic containers.

Patients with polycystic ovary syndrome can also consider taking hormonal drugs and drugs that increase insulin sensitivity prescribed by doctors. Guo Anni said that inositol is considered one of the methods to treat polycystic ovary syndrome and can increase insulin sensitivity. Helps improve ovarian function and reduce hyperandrogenism, reducing the risk of metabolic diseases in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome; in addition, drugs such as Metformin that increase insulin sensitivity can also be used.

She also emphasized, “Patients must have confidence. Although it is difficult to lose weight, it is not impossible to lose weight. If you carefully implement regular exercise and diet control, reduce stress, and maintain a healthy lifestyle, it is still possible to successfully lose weight.