low carb or keto articles • Lara Briden

PCOS Cannot Be Diagnosed (or Ruled Out) by Ultrasound

April 20, 2021April 16, 2021 by Lara Briden

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) cannot be diagnosed by ultrasound because polycystic ovaries are not cysts. They’re follicles or eggs which are normal for the ovary.

It’s normal for all women to sometimes have a higher number of follicles. It’s normal for young women to always have a higher number of follicles because young women have more eggs. That’s why PCOS cannot be diagnosed by ultrasound. At the same time, PCOS cannot be ruled out by ultrasound because it’s possible to have normal-appearing ovaries on ultrasound and still have the hormonal condition PCOS.

How Testosterone Can Cause Weight Gain in Women

January 18, 2021January 17, 2021 by Lara Briden

Testosterone causes weight gain in women.

Too much testosterone can cause insulin resistance and abdominal weight gain in women.

That’s why androgen excess is a factor in the weight gain associated with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), menopause, and some types of birth control.

The Secret Powers of Ovulation (It’s Not Just for Making a Baby)

March 22, 2021September 18, 2020 by Lara Briden

Ovarian hormones estrogen and progesterone are beneficial for health. That means natural ovulatory menstrual cycles are beneficial for health because ovulation is how women make hormones.

Does that surprise you? Men make testosterone every day, so you might think women do something similar, but we don’t. Instead, women make hormones as a surge of estradiol leading up to ovulation and an even bigger surge of progesterone after ovulation.

Are You Eating Enough to Get a Period?

September 17, 2020September 16, 2020 by Lara Briden

Lost your period? You might just need to eat more. A lot more. Losing your period to under-eating is called hypothalamic amenorrhea and is common, especially in women under thirty.