PCOS and Soy

countrygirl75

Thanks it is great to have support, I have a hard time with losing weight and now with PCOS its a challenge.

ammathia

Actually, for women with an estrogen-dominant disease like PCOS, the phytoestrogens in soy compete for the estrogen receptors in our bodies (therefore displacing the native estrogen) which decreases the overall estrogen effect on the HPA axis. Whole food soy products can be helpful for PCOS women including myself. Soy does the exact opposite for women with an estrogen deficient condition like menopause. Soy dominates their estrogen receptors when there is less native estrogen so they get a mildly estrogenic effect.

Carnivor0us

I am so thankful to come across this topic. I have had PCOS forever and to be honest I haven't kept up with the research lately. I was totally unaware about the controversy with soy. While I am not vegetarian, I don't eat a lot of animal proteins and soy I rely on soy to keep my protein up. I have sort of given up with treating the PCOS due to never attaining results with medications and honestly now I work a job where I don't have insurance. I am definitely inspired to look in the some alternative treatments though. I guess I have some homework, I need to look more into soy and paleo diet with PCOS.

Is there a support group at MFP for PCOS?? I am still pretty new here and I have been meaning to look through the message boards.

And lavender can affect PCOS!?!? I absolutely love the smell and use it as a natural air freshener in my home.

Amy, don't give up. I've had severe PCOS fora very long time and I am now just getting things back to normal. Insulin and androgen play a big role in the wacky hormonal levels of PCOS. I avoid soy because of the possibility that the phytoestrogens might wreck havoc on my already messed up hormonal levels. I've found that regulating blood glucose through diet have helped me immensely.

Anyone in the thread with PCOS is welcome to friend me or message me.

Carnivor0us

What you can do is literally cut the tablets in half. Start on half a tablet a day for 3 days then increase to one and so on until you are taking your full dose. Also always make sure you take it after food. Metformin can play havoc with your stomach if not. I found that on and off throughout my time of taking metformin I would end up like this and reducing and then increasing the dose again helped no end.

There is some question now as to how helpful metformin is in PCOS. In england they are starting to back away from using it as treatment as unless you actually eat healthily and exercise alongside taking it, there will be little benefit.

I know others have mentioned on this thread before but I cannot recommend looking at a paleolithic way of eating highly enough for PCOS sufferers. I just had my first period since starting and my cycle was 2 days shorter which put it within normal range. I also suffered with PMT and other symptoms which usually I would not which I take as a positive sign ( although for me it kind of doesn't matter any more I still want to get the PCOS in check).

xxx

I, too, suggest Paleo for those with PCOS. I have attained my own person weight loss with a ketogenic diet, although the two aren't that dissimilar. In addition to Paleo as a diet, I'd also suggest a ketogenic approach.

EDIT: Just realized this thread got resurrected from the dead. My offer of friendship still stands, however. LOL.