In women, too much testosterone can cause insulin resistance and abdominal weight gain.
That’s why androgen excess contributes to the weight gain associated with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), menopause, and some types of birth control.
Lara Briden - The Period Revolutionary
Leading the change to better periods
The role of insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome in common menstrual problems such as PCOS, heavy periods, and perimenopause. Hyperinsulinemia or high insulin can impair ovulation and increase androgens in polycystic ovary syndrome. It can also cause progesterone deficiency, anovulatory cycles, and increase the thickness of the uterine lining contributing to heavy periods.
In women, too much testosterone can cause insulin resistance and abdominal weight gain.
That’s why androgen excess contributes to the weight gain associated with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), menopause, and some types of birth control.
The supplement inositol is a superstar for treating polycystic ovary syndrome. It’s also been clinically trialled for weight loss, thyroid disease, anxiety, insomnia, and premenstrual mood symptoms.
In episode nine of my podcast/YouTube video, I look at “what is inositol?”, how you can get it from diet, the difference between myo-inositol and D-chiro-inositol, and why it’s all a little confusing.
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is not one disease. Instead, it’s “a heterogeneous disorder with different underlying biological mechanisms.” In other words, it’s a set of symptoms (androgen excess and anovulatory cycles) caused or driven by several underlying factors. To successfully treat PCOS, you need to identify which factor (or factors) is driving the symptoms. In other words, you need to know your functional type of PCOS.
The four functional types of PCOS include insulin-resistant PCOS, post-pill PCOS (which is temporary), inflammatory PCOS, and the far less common adrenal PCOS.
Insulin resistance is the condition of having chronically elevated levels of insulin. It’s also called hyperinsulinemia, metabolic syndrome, or pre-diabetes and is a major player in many women’s health conditions including PCOS, acne, fibroids, perimenopause, and heavy periods.
Insulin resistance also causes abdominal weight gain and is a risk factor for diabetes, cancer, osteoporosis, dementia, and heart disease.
Do you have insulin resistance? It’s time to find out.