PCOS and nutrition: can the right diet increase fertility?

Around 116 million women worldwide suffer from polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

Polycystic ovary syndrome , first described in the 20th century, is one of the most common but complex metabolic and endocrine disorders diagnosed in women of childbearing age.

PCOS is estimated to affect between 3% and 10% of the female population. While the exact cause of PCOS has not yet been determined, its origins are multifactorial. In addition to the hormonal aspect, there is emerging evidence that genetics, the environment and the interaction between these two play an important role in the pathogenesis of the syndrome.

Some classic features of the syndrome include irregular menstrual cycles, excess male hormones (androgens), and polycystic ovaries . The problem is that not all women have these classic symptoms. Not all women with PCOS have unwanted hair or are overweight. Not all have clearly polycystic ovaries, and some women with cysts do not have PCOS. Some women have no menstrual cycles. Others have particularly heavy or irregular periods. Other women with PCOS ovulate regularly. Lack of clear diagnostic references can lead to confusion and misdiagnosis, complicated by the fact that there is currently no single test to diagnose PCOS.There is one factor that all women with PCOS have in common: difficulty conceiving.

In fact, polycystic ovary syndrome is one of the leading causes of infertility.

Irregular menstrual cycles can make it difficult to get pregnant. The imbalance of female sex hormones, associated with an abnormal increase in testosterone, can prevent the development and release of mature oocytes necessary for ovulation and therefore for conception. If ovulation does occur, however, the hormonal imbalance can prevent the fertilized egg from implanting properly.

How to deal with PCOS?

To help women ovulate, drugs are often used to stimulate ovulation under careful ultrasound monitoring.

One of the aggravating causes of PCOS is excess body weight.

Excess weight can be a cause or an effect of PCOS. Approximately 50% – 85% of women with PCOS are overweight or obese, which can exacerbate the symptoms of the syndrome.

Another important clinical feature of PCOS is metabolic dysfunction , including abnormalities in the function of insulin, an important hormone that regulates blood sugar levels. Developing insulin resistance , which is common in PCOS sufferers, increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and even heart disease. Interestingly, the insulin resistance observed in PCOS patients may occur independently of obesity, highlighting the metabolic dysfunction associated with PCOS.

While there are medications and treatments to overcome the hormonal abnormalities that accompany PCOS, it is important to help patients with weight loss, as it can improve PCOS symptoms.

With just a 10% reduction in body weight , many women who don’t ovulate regularly can start having regular cycles and improve their chances of conceiving. A low-sugar diet can not only aid in weight loss, but also slow the progression of insulin resistance to type 2 diabetes.

Understanding which foods have sugar and the type of sugar you consume is important for everyone, but especially for PCOS patients.

PCOS and nutrition: the importance of what you eat

To correctly modify the diet, the reference is a dietitian or a nutritionist. Overweight women suffering from PCOS should always be referred to the diagnosing gynecologist or endocrinologist, a nutritionist. The specialist will have to help them lose excess weight by regulating their diet.

Let us briefly recall that carbohydrates, including bread, pasta, rice and potatoes, are metabolized into sugars which the body uses as an energy source. Any amount of sugar not consumed for energy becomes superfluous and contributes to higher levels of circulating glucose and, therefore, greater insulin demand.

Therefore, carbohydrates of the complex type, with a low glycemic index, are preferred. with slow absorption and adequate fiber intake.

Among the fats, those of the vegetable type (e.g. olive oil or dried fruit) or those of fish should be preferred.

Among the proteins, those present in white and lean meat and fish should be preferred.

The fibers contained in fruit, vegetables and wholemeal foods are inevitable.

In short, the classic Mediterranean diet also helps fertility.

In our book: recipes for fertility , we clearly explain, as well as more than 40 sample recipes, the importance of nutrition in the fertility of men and women. We explain the reasons why what we eat interferes with our health in general and with fertility, explaining the alternatives to adopt at the table to feel better and lose weight by eating the right things.

This is not a fast path, losing weight on a regular basis  requires patience and trust even in the specialist who follows the patient. It is very useful to combine a program of moderate physical exercise with the prescribed diet .