Any PCOS women who've had their BMR measured?

Niagarasailor
Niagarasailor Posts: 123 Member
edited November 12 in Health and Weight Loss
I have PCOS. I'm at BMI 29 and have never had my BMR tested. My issue is that we all hear "Don't eat below your BMR!" but the BMR calculators don't take into account PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome). As far as I know, there is only one study that's been done so far that tests the differences in BMR for PCOS ladies as compared to non-PCOS ladies. Here are the results of that study.
To evaluate basal metabolic rate (BMR) in women with PCOS and to determine its association with insulin resistance (IR).Prospective assessment of BMR in women with PCOS.Outpatient clinic of the Division of Reproductive Endocrinology.The study included 91 Greek women with PCOS and biochemical hyperandrogenemia, with mean age 24.03 +/- 0.55 years and mean body mass index (BMI) 26.67 +/- 0.69 kg/m(2), and 48 matched regularly menstruating women, with mean age 26.33 +/- 0.93 years and mean BMI 23.35 +/- 0.85 kg/m(2), as control subjects.Assessment of BMR by indirect calorimetry, IR by HOMA and QUICKI indices, fasting insulin, and fasting glucose/insulin ratio.Reduced BMR in PCOS with or without IR.Adjusted BMR was 1,868 +/- 41 kcal/day in the control group, 1,445.57 +/- 76 in all PCOS women, 1,590 +/- 130 in PCOS women without IR and 1,116 +/- 106 in PCOS women with IR. Adjusted BMR showed a statistically significant difference between women with PCOS and control subjects, with lowest values in the group of PCOS women with IR, even after adjusting all groups for age and BMI.Women with PCOS, particularly those with IR, present a significantly decreased BMR.

If I'm reading this correctly. PCOS women have a lower BMR in general than 'normal' women and those with insulin resistance are even lower. I do not know if I have insulin resistance although I am taking metformin which addresses that issue.

Right now MFP has me eating 1360/day but I've only been at this level a few days now. Traditional calculators tell me my BMR is 1690, my TDEE is 2029. For the last two months I increased my calorie intake to above 1690 but below 2029 and immediately stalled weight loss. What I'm wondering is, is there another calculator somewhere that can help me discover my true BMR with PCOS? Or at least a general rule? I feel pretty comfy around 1400-1600 calories but it's scary eating below what traditional calculators tell me my BMR is. :huh:

tl;dr PCOS ladies who have had their BMR officially measured, did you find your BMR was significantly lower than what traditional calculators said it should be?
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Replies

  • star31
    star31 Posts: 47
    I have also wondered about this. Hope somebody has an answer.
  • Niagarasailor
    Niagarasailor Posts: 123 Member
    While waiting for responses I'm going to look up whether my insurance plan covers the BMR test. lol... If no one has the answer I have to go looking for my own!
  • LouiseRose92
    LouiseRose92 Posts: 112
    While waiting for responses I'm going to look up whether my insurance plan covers the BMR test. lol... If no one has the answer I have to go looking for my own!

    I hope your insurance does so you can let us know-I'd never heard about this!
  • kazzsjourney
    kazzsjourney Posts: 674 Member
    I have PCOS and im not insulin resistant. Calculators give my BMR around 1610. I had a DEXA scan and my RMR is 1878 so I dont appear to be lower then what the calculators say. That said...I weighed 87 kilos at the time and 64.9 kilos was lean mass...so I am pretty muscular :)
  • TyFit08
    TyFit08 Posts: 799 Member
    I haven't had my BMR measured, but I do eat below my BMR since I haven't had any success losing eating at or above it. If you do get tested, would love to hear the results to see if they back up the study
  • Kempossible
    Kempossible Posts: 158 Member
    I have my BMR measured every two months at a Health Clinic for free. I calculated using various websites including MFP and my BMR was 1615. According to the health clinic, my BMR is 1635. It was actually lower with the websites and MFP. That is a very inetresting article. Thanks for sharing.
  • sarahz5
    sarahz5 Posts: 1,363 Member
    I'm bumping this topic because I've been thinking about it a lot lately. I have been netting 1200 (sometimes that includes eating back all 800 exercise calories in a day for a total of 2000, for instance), with a day every week or so when I will eat a few hundred more. My exercise averages 300 a day, so I'm basically eating 1500-1600 a day and exercising for about an hour 5 days a week, running and heavy lifting mostly. I have been losing slow and steady, which is what I want.

    My BMR according to calculators is around 1475, RMR around 1600, and TDEE without accounting for exercise is around 1800. TDEE WITH exercise around 2150. I am also still breastfeeding a (demanding) toddler, which is supposed to give me another 200 calories. So if I follow the traditional advice floating around MFP, I would eat 1750, PLUS my BFing calories, for a total of 1950 a day! And that should still be giving me a really decent deficit. But anytime I go over my 1500-1600, I find myself stuck or usually gaining. I've also noticed that my resting heart rate is pretty low, in the high 50s/low 60s. Seems like that could contribute to a low BMR.

    I take seriously the need to fuel my body, especially since I do work out a fair amount. I do want to retain lean muscle. I know every body is different, and I should just roll with what is working for me, but it would be great to know there is actual scientific evidence to support my anecdotal findings. It is so tempting to buy into the "eat more to weigh less" thing, because... who doesn't want to eat more? :laugh: And the tales of eating below your BMR can read like horror stories. :wink: Anyway, any more individual stories or studies on this would be appreciated!
  • omma_to_3
    omma_to_3 Posts: 3,265 Member
    I had mine tested at a university hospital. The estimates online put my BMR at the time between 1440 and 1530. My actual was 1662. I was very surprised!
  • omma_to_3
    omma_to_3 Posts: 3,265 Member
    My BMR according to calculators is around 1475, RMR around 1600,

    What calculator are you using? The RMR shouldn't differ that much from BMR. The only difference between measuring BMR and measuring RMR is for BMR you spend the night in the lab. With RMR, you don't but you still lay motionless during testing, having eaten nothing. It should be very minimally different and can generally be used interchangeably.
  • Julie7741
    Julie7741 Posts: 93 Member
    This is interesting info-
    I have PCOS and IR. I was taken off of Metformin three months ago. I lost over 50 lbs, and my doc felt I had "fixed" my IR with exercise and diet, no longer needed the Met. I have hit a big stall since. I tried eating more, which did not help. I have recently switched up my workouts. I was biking everyday during the summer and I think my body was just too well adjusted to the bike. I now run and swim. I've lost about a pound in the two weeks since switching up the workouts.

    I also should add that I'm pretty close to my goal- about 10 lbs. to go. I'm interested in what people have to say about this. I'm considering starting the Met again to help get rid of this last 10 lbs. I wonder if the medicine was affecting BMR?
  • truddy6647
    truddy6647 Posts: 519 Member
    This is interesting. I actually have not heard this before. I may have to ask my clinic about this. They only charge 17.00 to run a bmr test and then I'll know for sure
  • omma_to_3
    omma_to_3 Posts: 3,265 Member
    This is interesting. I actually have not heard this before. I may have to ask my clinic about this. They only charge 17.00 to run a bmr test and then I'll know for sure

    WOW. That's really cheap. My test was $150!!
  • omma_to_3
    omma_to_3 Posts: 3,265 Member
    This is interesting info-
    I have PCOS and IR. I was taken off of Metformin three months ago. I lost over 50 lbs, and my doc felt I had "fixed" my IR with exercise and diet, no longer needed the Met. I have hit a big stall since. I tried eating more, which did not help. I have recently switched up my workouts. I was biking everyday during the summer and I think my body was just too well adjusted to the bike. I now run and swim. I've lost about a pound in the two weeks since switching up the workouts.

    I also should add that I'm pretty close to my goal- about 10 lbs. to go. I'm interested in what people have to say about this. I'm considering starting the Met again to help get rid of this last 10 lbs. I wonder if the medicine was affecting BMR?

    Personally, I think we need Met regardless of our weight. I gained the weight BECAUSE I was IR. I didn't become IR because I gained weight.
  • Julie7741
    Julie7741 Posts: 93 Member
    That's what I was thinking too about the medicine. My endocrinologist took me off of the met. My general doctor wasn't happy about that. He feels that I should be on the Met for life, regardless of my weight.

    I'm thinking that my endo is more accustomed to dealing with diabetics than PCOS patients. In his opinion, since my sugar and weight are looking good I don't need the met. I do NOT want to gain weight back, that's for sure!
  • sarahz5
    sarahz5 Posts: 1,363 Member
    I was just using really general round numbers... I used the spreadsheet created by one of the MFPers that incorporates all the various calculators out there. But also, that number is pretty much irrelevant to my post, so let's not fixate on that.
  • sarahz5
    sarahz5 Posts: 1,363 Member
    I only took Met for about four months while I was trying to conceive. It definitely helped regulate my cycles, but I lost more weight just watching the glycemic index content of my food, doing calorie counting and similar, and exercising. I really didn't lose anything while on the Met.

    Other than during pregnancy, I've never been more than 20 or so pounds over "healthy" BMI though. And I guess IR can be "worse" for some people than for others?
  • omma_to_3
    omma_to_3 Posts: 3,265 Member
    That's what I was thinking too about the medicine. My endocrinologist took me off of the met. My general doctor wasn't happy about that. He feels that I should be on the Met for life, regardless of my weight.

    I'm thinking that my endo is more accustomed to dealing with diabetics than PCOS patients. In his opinion, since my sugar and weight are looking good I don't need the met. I do NOT want to gain weight back, that's for sure!

    Well, IR is an off-label use for Met. My endo was thrilled with my weight loss (I only see him once a year) and didn't bring up stopping or even reducing my meds at all.
  • boxem180
    boxem180 Posts: 63 Member
    I'm really glad I found this thread even though it's several months after the original post. I've been struggling with how many calories to consume and if I should eat my exercise calories back. Right now, I'm experimenting with eating 1450 on non-workout days and eating half my exercise calories back on workout days. We'll see how it goes. I'm on day 3 and I can tell that this will be hard to sustain. It feels like with PCOS, we just have to experiment and find what works for us as we go.

    Feel free to add me. I could always use guidance and support....and the occasional kick in the *kitten*. :)
  • getfitgal123
    getfitgal123 Posts: 267 Member
    Interesting topic ... I have not been diagnosed with PCOS but I have symptoms and have not had a period since coming off bc pills in September 2012 so I am going back to the ob/gyn next month for more testing,

    Anyways I have always had trouble losing weight and I had a Bodygem metabolic test done at my gym over the summer and my RMR is only 1190. I am 5'3" and 131 and 33 y/o.... Calculators put me in the 1400s for RMR and based on my lean muscle mass I should have a higher RMR than I do.
  • nadia712
    nadia712 Posts: 18 Member
    I am also wondering about this - I've got PCOS and don't want to eat below my BMR either, but I'm conscious of the fact that the "standard" BMR calculators could be wrong for me. I was eating around 1300-1400 calories and losing, and I've stalled at approximately 1600 (to 1800 or so with exercise). I am going to give it more time for sure, but obviously I don't want to shoot myself in the foot by eating hundreds of calories over my potentially much lower BMR.

    Did the OP ever get her BMR tested officially?
  • kazzsjourney
    kazzsjourney Posts: 674 Member
    My BMR according to calculators is around 1475, RMR around 1600,

    What calculator are you using? The RMR shouldn't differ that much from BMR. The only difference between measuring BMR and measuring RMR is for BMR you spend the night in the lab. With RMR, you don't but you still lay motionless during testing, having eaten nothing. It should be very minimally different and can generally be used interchangeably.

    My BMR and RMR difference is about the same so I doubt its that uncommon....my BMR is around 1610 and my RMR is 1878 (tested via dexa scan)
  • snowy0wl
    snowy0wl Posts: 179 Member
    if anyone is still reading this. I'm writing this on behalf a friend who doesn't have access to the boards.

    She has a mix of PCOS/Fibro and a bunch of other maladies that makes her weight difficult to manage. in terms of diet in her words "I changed my eating habits drastically. I am vegan, gluten-free, and sugar-free. I don't eat processed foods and I rarely eat salt or consume caffeine. I drink water, tea, and almond milk (no soda or fruit juice- BOTH of which are loaded with sugar)."

    I've been monitoring her actual intake, activity and weight changes and over the last 25 days this is what I calculated. Her body is 203 (currently) @ 5'9 she's currently at a new low of 33% bf

    BMR based on regular websites 1,800 with no TDEE

    her BMR (calculated) = 1400
    Dietary intake = 1100 cals
    average exercise = 220 cals

    over the last 25 days we've recorded an average of 1.3lbs of fat (not weight) lost per week which is amazing considering how resistant PCOS people tend to be. She has no symptoms of malnutrition however she does want to sleep after cardio exercise. She openly admits it's hard but it's the only way she's found to loose weight.

    I'd love to hear if people calculate the BMR based on careful tracking of numbers and if it co-insides with the initial report of 1400.
  • omma_to_3
    omma_to_3 Posts: 3,265 Member
    My BMR according to calculators is around 1475, RMR around 1600,

    What calculator are you using? The RMR shouldn't differ that much from BMR. The only difference between measuring BMR and measuring RMR is for BMR you spend the night in the lab. With RMR, you don't but you still lay motionless during testing, having eaten nothing. It should be very minimally different and can generally be used interchangeably.

    My BMR and RMR difference is about the same so I doubt its that uncommon....my BMR is around 1610 and my RMR is 1878 (tested via dexa scan)

    DEXA scan doesn't measure BMR or RMR. I think what you're referencing as RMR is an estimate for TDEE. Your BMR is how many calories your body uses simply to exist. RMR is an approximation of that measure and is generally within a VERY small margin of the BMR. TDEE is your BMR/RMR plus daily activity calories. If you're sedentary, this could be anywhere from 10% to 20% more calories. The numbers above are about 16% higher than the BMR, so I would assume this is a calculation of a sedentary TDEE rather than RMR. The DEXA scan measures body composition and they likely used that result to calculate a BMR for you. I do Bod Pod testing with my RMR tests. The Bod Pod does that same BMR calculation and it's not close to what my actual tested RMR is.
  • omma_to_3
    omma_to_3 Posts: 3,265 Member
    I had my RMR tested again last month. It again came back at about 10% higher than the online calculators. Since I've lost weight since my initial test, it's dropped to 1521 instead of 1662, but still higher than average.
  • Racheljeancox
    Racheljeancox Posts: 22 Member
    I wonder how accurate this BMR calculator is? http://www.fertilitychef.com/pcos-diet-calculator/
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  • me0231
    me0231 Posts: 218 Member
    I had my RMR measured this morning in a health clinic. I just had to lie still for 30min and breathe into a tube. That was it.
  • Athena98501
    Athena98501 Posts: 716 Member
    @Niagarasailor If you haven't been diagnosed with insulin resistance, do you mind me asking why you're on Metformin? It's not generally recommended otherwise, and it's not terribly safe unless you really need it.
  • ir0n
    ir0n Posts: 1 Member
    edited January 2018
    You might wanna try this calculator: https://damnripped.com/pcos-weight-loss-guide/. My sister swears by it.
  • Psychgrrl
    Psychgrrl Posts: 3,177 Member
    I had mine done at the fitness lab on campus. I do not have PCOS, but I do have hypothyroidism which also allegedly slows metabolism.

    According to the test, my metabolism is 27% higher than the typical person of my gender, age, weight and height. So being hypo might not affect me as much as I feared. And having PCOS night not affect you as much as you thought.

    I lost all my weight without knowing this and being hypo. Point being, while chronic conditions can impact our bodies and weight loss, sometimes we give them too much power.
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