INTERESTING PCOS STUDIES

bohrsy88

The following study is yet another example of how our food choices impact on our fertility. The purpose of this study was to determine whether irregular menstruation, infertility, and hirsutism (heavy growth of hair, often in abnormal distribution) could be alleviated in obese women suffering from polycystic ovary syndrome by decreasing caloric intake over a long-term period.

The results indicated that moderate weight loss after seven months of calorie restriction by obese women with polycystic ovary syndrome did positively affect abnormal menstruation, infertility, and hirsutism. The improvement in these conditions appears to have been caused by increased sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) levels and decreased insulin concentrations. Moreover, increased insulin sensitivity may have increased ovarian function, and therefore menstrual function and fertility.

Read full article here:
http://www.soulcysters.net/showthread.php/5233-Polycystic-Ovary-Syndrome-and-Caloric-Intake?highlight=restriction

bohrsy88

PCOS AND DEPRESSION:
Stanford Report, June 11, 2003
Depression, PCOS linked in study

Women who have a hormonal disorder called polycystic ovarian syndrome, or PCOS, are more likely to have depression than women without the disorder, said a study by medical center psychiatrist Natalie Rasgon, MD, PhD.

The study also shows women with PCOS are depressed not only because of the symptoms, which include infertility, but also because of the disease’s underlying biology. She said the findings have prompted her to further explore whether treating depression could help reproductive problems in PCOS patients.

The research, published in the May issue of the Journal of Affective Disorders, is the first study of the link between the syndrome and depression.

PCOS is the most common hormonal disorder in women of reproductive age, affecting up to 10 percent of premenopausal women. Women with PCOS secrete excess male hormones and don’t ovulate; they may have extra body hair, acne, obesity or baldness.

"The simple, logical explanation is that if a woman is overweight and balding, she would be depressed because of that," said Rasgon, associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, but her research points to physiological links as well.

Rasgon and her colleagues are currently conducting ongoing research into the link between PCOS and depression on a larger group of women.

LINKS TO SIMILAR ARTICLES HERE:
http://www.soulcysters.net/showthread.php/220429-QUICK-LINKS-PCOS-and-DEPRESSION

bohrsy88

I HAVE ALWAYS BELIEVED A KEY FACTOR TO SUCCESS IS GETTING ACTIVE.. THIS STUDY AGREES:

Exercise Improves Insulin Sensitivity for Women With PCOS
Polycystic ovary syndrome, exercise improves insulin sensitivity

Researchers of the Duke University Medical Center have shown that moderate exercise – without accompanying weight loss – can improve insulin sensitivity in women with polycystic ovary syndrome( PCOS ), a group with a high risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

Polycystic ovary syndrome affects between six and 10 percent of women of child-bearing age in the U.S. -- more than four million people. Women with PCOS often have chronic weight problems.
While medical treatment is important for PCOS, women can also reduce their risk of developing diabetes and heart disease by following a sensible diet and exercise program, said Ann J. Brown, at Duke University Medical Center.

However, some women with PCOS have difficulty losing weight, said Brown, lead author of the study. "Weight is a huge problem for many of these women. We found that women can improve their insulin resistance just with moderate activity.
Even if you exercise and don't lose weight, you are still reaping very important health benefits." Brown said.

The research was supported by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute ( NHLBI ) of the National Institutes of Health ( NIH ).

The Duke researchers examined how exercise influenced the way the body metabolized carbohydrates such as glucose in women with PCOS who had not yet developed diabetes, but were at high risk because they had insulin resistance.

"Anything that improves insulin sensitivity and decreases insulin resistance is going to help prevent diabetes in the long run," Brown said.

For the Duke study, nineteen sedentary women with PCOS were assigned randomly to either a control group that continued their sedentary lifestyle or a monitored exercise group. The women were between ages 22 and 41 years and were insulin resistant. The study group included ethnic minorities.

The exercise program was moderate in intensity, the equivalent of walking briskly for one hour four days per week. The women could talk easily while walking, Brown said. Participants were not allowed to change their diet or lose weight during the study, thereby enabling the researchers to focus solely on the role of exercise in insulin resistance.

There was a small but significant improvement in insulin resistance in the moderate exercise group. The group's insulin resistance improved by up to 25 percent, with the amount of improvement depending on the type of test used to measure insulin sensitivity.

The most common PCOS symptoms are irregular menstrual cycles, usually with fewer than 8 periods a year, acne and excess facial and body hair. The syndrome is caused by a hormonal imbalance -- too much androgen, or male hormone.

Source: Duke University Medical Center, 2005

http://www.xagena.it/news/medicinenews_net_news/47b4f1bfdf6d298682e610ad74b37dca.html

lorrainzander

So interesting and a great motivator to keep exercising even if I'm not loosing weight. Of course we all now how beneficial exercise is, but sometimes I need extra incentives to keep me going!