PCOS Review Newsletter #36
Natural Health Ideas for Polycystic Ovary Syndrome.
A free monthly newsletter for women with ovarian cysts or PCOS.
Issue #036 September 30, 2006
Nancy Dunne, N.D., Naturopathic Physician
Bill Slater, Research Associate
1) Some PCOS Women Have Liver Disease
2) Fish Oil Beneficial for Fatty Liver Disease
1) Some PCOS Women Have Liver Disease
Has your doctor checked your liver lately? We think your liver is an overlooked organ in the treatment of polycystic ovary syndrome. It has many critical functions including the metabolism and regulation of hormones. (See the "Liver Health" chapter of our diet book for details). A healthy liver will help you control PCOS symptoms. A sick liver makes them worse.
Unfortunately, 15% of women with PCOS appear to have liver disease, according to a new study from the Duke University Medical Center.
There appears to be a strong association between insulin resistance, PCOS and certain liver conditions. One condition is called "nonalcoholic fatty liver disease" or NAFLD. A more serious condition is called "nonalcoholic steatohepatitis" or NASH.
How can you find out if you may have NAFLD or NASH? A "blood chemistry panel" or "liver profile" blood test will tell you. Any doctor can order these tests for you.
If your lab test shows you have a liver problem, take steps to improve the quality of your diet and maintain a regular exercise program. Avoidance of refined junk foods is especially helpful for your liver. If you're wondering what foods you should eat or not eat, refer to the "Main Components of the Diet" section of our diet book.
You can also review your medications with your doctor. Some medications are damaging to the liver.
There are a variety of natural therapies and nutritional
supplements that provide liver support. Consult with your local
licensed naturopathic physician if there is one in your area.
Sources:
Setji TL et al, Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis and nonalcoholic
fatty liver disease in young women with polycystic ovary
syndrome, J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2006 May;91(5):1741-7
Brown AJ et al, Polycystic ovary syndrome and severe
nonalcoholic steatohepatitis: beneficial effect of modest weight
loss and exercise on liver biopsy findings, Endocr Pract.
2005 Sep-Oct;11(5):319-24
2) Omega-3 Oil Beneficial for Fatty Liver Disease
A very interesting study was recently published by the University of Florence in Italy showing that long-term consumption of fish oil helps people who have NAFLD (nonalcoholic fatty liver disease). As we said in the above article, it appears about 15% of women with polycystic ovarian syndrome have this liver problem.
In this study there were 56 NAFLD individuals who took omega-3 oil daily for one year, and 14 NAFLD individuals who did not take any omega-3 oil. The omega-3 oil was consumed as a 1 gram capsule of EPA/DHA.
Those who consumed the omega-3 oil showed a signficant decrease in lab markers for liver disease. Their triglycerides and blood sugar also went down. But what was most interesting was that sonic scans of their livers showed an improvement in the structural integrity of the liver.
What is the best source of omega-3 oils? You can eat a lot of fish. But the most convenient form is fish oil EPA/DHA capsules, as was used in the study. You can obtain high quality EPA/DHA fish oil capsules from our online store.
By the way, EPA/DHA omega-3 oils may also be beneficial for other PCOS-related symptoms such as depression or acne.
EPA/DHA supplementation will benefit most women. We recommend
that you take supplemental EPA/DHA on a long-term basis if you do
not consume fish at least several times a week.
Source:
Capanni M et al, Prolonged omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid
supplementation ameliorates hepatic steatosis in patients with
non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: a pilot study, Aliment
Pharmacol Ther., 2006; 23(8): 1143-51
3) Stress and Miscarriage
Not only do PCOS women have a more difficult time becoming pregnant, they also have a higher rate of miscarriage. There is a simple way to reduce the probability of this heartbreak: Reduce your level of stress.
Chronic stress is a very important but overlooked factor in polycystic ovary syndrome and all of its related problems.
A recent study from the University of Michigan has discovered an association between miscarriage and levels of maternal urinary cortisol during the first 3 weeks after conception. Cortisol is a stress hormone that is produced in response to stress.
Too much of the stress hormone cortisol may contribute to early miscarriage. Excess cortisol is generally destructive to your body and contributes to abdominal obesity.
Management of chronic stress is an inexpensive but very effective
way to help manage PCOS and improve your overall health. Refer to
the "Stress
Management" chapter of our book for stress control
strategies.
Source:
Nepomnaschy PA et alCortisol levels and very early pregnancy loss
in humans, Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2006 Mar
7;103(10):3938-42
4) Petition for PCOS Research
Please take a moment to sign an online petition to members of Congress to provide more support for women who have PCOS. We need more research and a greater recognition of this disorder.
Let's all work together to help each other. Please visit this online petition link:
www.petitiononline.com/pcosweb1/
Thought for Today: "In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity." -- Albert Einstein
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