People seeking treatment for polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) are often frustrated. Not only with painful, irregular periods but also with elevations in blood sugar or cholesterol labs that have jumped up, acne and unwanted hair growth. In addition to these symptoms, they may be frustrated that the main recommendation to manage symptoms is to lose weight. People want to understand how to rebalance their health, not just “manage symptoms''.
The goals in addressing PCOS are to normalize monthly hormone cycles, reduce painful ovulation and/or menses, reduce acne and unwanted hair growth, and improve metabolic labs. Weight loss can occur as a result of addressing the hormone imbalances driving these symptoms. Trying to lose weight when hormones are out of balance usually doesn’t happen very quickly (or at all).The old thinking about weight loss is that it is a simple equation of calorie reduction. But the science on weight loss is getting more clear that hormones play a significant role in weight management. A more effective and usually more rewarding strategy is to normalize hormones first, and then address weight (if appropriate).
Among all of the hormone imbalances going on with PCOS, insulin resistance is central. Science hasn’t sorted out the mechanism of “why” insulin resistance arises, but it has consistently been observed as being part of the disease condition. It is known that when the body doesn’t respond well to insulin, it can cause other hormones to be out of balance.
What does it mean to be insulin resistant? All cells need to be able to respond to insulin in order to efficiently make energy. When cells don’t respond to the insulin signal, it results in higher insulin levels in the blood and in some women, this results in the ovaries producing more testosterone. Too much testosterone interferes with the regular cycling of estrogen and progesterone necessary for ovulation (and conception). So addressing insulin resistance is critical to normalizing hormone balance. But it’s also possible for diet to support a more optimal balance of estrogen and progesterone, and even help lower testosterone levels.
3 Foods You Can Add To Your Diet For PCOS:
Ground Flax meal
Ground flax meal contains healthful substances called phytoestrogens. These substances have shown to be beneficial for regulating hormone levels in a variety of ways. While ground flax may not change some specific hormone levels, in several clinical trials, 30% of women experienced a return to regular ovulation and menstrual cycles. (1) Additionally, ground flax has been shown to help reduce several inflammatory markers which may help reduce menstrual-related pain. (2)
Including ground flax regularly in the diet has many health benefits including added fiber, protein and can support symptoms management in PCOS. Aim for at least 1 tsp per day.
Mix 1 tsp of ground flax with oatmeal or yogurt (seasonal preference)
Sprinkle on top of your salad or nourish bowl.
Mix in an egg muffin or frittata before baking
Omega 3 Fatty Acids
There are many health benefits of omega 3 fats. For PCOS these benefits specifically include improving insulin sensitivity and optimizing levels of triglycerides, a type of cholesterol. (3) There is some evidence that omega 3 fats can also help to optimize hormones such as follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), and even testosterone, but these effects are less clear.
Omega 3 fats are known to be an effective anti-inflammatory. A number of studies have demonstrated that they can help reduce markers of inflammation in people with PCOS, which helps reduce pain. (4) This is reason enough to include foods rich in omega 3 fats regularly in your dietary routine. In addition to salmon and tuna, consider spicing up your fatty-fish routine by including another nutritional powerhouse with fewer contamination concerns: sardines. Here are a few sardine recipes to get your juices flowing.
One study with spearmint tea demonstrated that drinking 2 cups a day for five days during the follicular phase of their cycle had a benefit of lowering testosterone levels and increasing luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH). (5) Another study demonstrated that women who drank spearmint tea twice a day for a month experienced a reduction in symptoms of excess testosterone, such as excess/unwanted hair growth. (6)
Spearmint tea is cooling and refreshing, so it’s an easy-add during the warm days of August. Consider making it into an iced-tea for those days when you need a little extra “cool” (🕶)
NOTE: There isn’t a one-size-fit-all approach to reversing PCOS and it can feel hard to stay patient with a process that doesn’t change dramatically from week to week. However, improving hormone balance and improving symptoms of PCOS is possible with food and lifestyle choices.
Continue to follow for more recipes.
References
Najafi, M. et al. (2018). Phytoestrogens and the Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome; A Systematic Review of Clinical Evidence and Labratory Findings. Farmacia, Vol 66, 2. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Masumeh-Ghazanfarpour/publication/324865652_Phytoestrogens_and_the_polycystic_ovary_syndrome_A_systematic_review_of_clinical_evidence_and_laboratory_findings/links/5ae873140f7e9b837d39f68d/Phytoestrogens-and-the-polycystic-ovary-syndrome-A-systematic-review-of-clinical-evidence-and-laboratory-findings.pdf
Musazadeh, V., et al. (October 2024). Effects of Flaxseed Supplementation on Inflammatory Biomarkers; A GRADE assessed systemic review and metaanalysis of randomized control trials. Prostaglandins and Other Lipid Mediators. Volume 174, 106868. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1098882324000625
Yang, K. et al. (March 27, 2018) Effectiveness of Omega-3 Fatty Acid for polycystic ovarian syndrome; a systematic review and meta-analysis. Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology. Volume 16, article number 27.. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12958-018-0346-x
Melo V., et al. (2022). Omega three supplementation in the treatment of polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS); a review of clinical trials and cohort. Endocrine Regulations, Vol. 56, No. 1, 66–79, 2022 https://intapi.sciendo.com/pdf/10.2478/enr-2022-0008
Grant, P. (2010 Feb;24) Spearmint herbal tea has significant anti-androgen effects in polycystic ovarian syndrome. A randomized control trial. Phytotherapy Research. 186-8. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19585478/
Akdoğan, M. et al. (20 Feb 2007) Effect of spearmint teas on androgen levels in women with hirsutism.Phytotherapy Research. 444-7. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/ptr.2074
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