PCOS Review Newsletter #45

A free health newsletter for women with polycystic ovary syndrome or polycystic ovaries.

Issue #045      July 26, 2007 Bill Slater, Research Associate

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

1) PCOS Women May Have Gene Instability

2) Keeping Ovaries May Boost Survival

3) Link Between Liver Disease and Low Vitamin D?

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1) PCOS Women Have May Gene Instability

Genes in your cells tell the cells what to do and what not to do.

Chromosomes are components in a cell that contain genetic information. There are 46 chromosomes in every human cell and each chromosome contains numerous genes.

A study from the National Center of Oncology in Armenia has shown that women with polycystic ovarian syndrome have more chromosomal damage than other women. The researchers refer to this as "genetic instability".

What does this mean for you?

When your genes are damaged, they can't perform properly.

You can think of genes as light switches in your body. When they are turned on, they cause things to happen in your cell. When they are turned off, they do not make things happen.

But what happens if genes are damaged? What happens when a light switch has a short circuit in it? The switch can't turn on the lights, plus there is a risk of damage from a possible electrical fire. The same is true for your genes. Damaged genes increase the risk of malfunction in your body.

It's well known that your genes are a major reason why you have PCOS. So it's especially important that you be protective of your genes.

If you take good care of your genes, they will take good care of you.

So how do you take good care of your genes?

Another study from the University of Adelaide in Australia provides some clues. In this study the researchers found that the behavior of the genetic light switches in your body are influenced by lifestyle factors such as diet, exercise, smoking, and stress. We say exactly the same thing in our PCOS book!

Here are five tips for taking better care of your genes:

• Eat a better quality diet (as we describe in our book).
• Get more exercise (as we describe in our book).
• Stop smoking and avoid recreational drugs.
• Reduce stress (as we describe in our book).
• Take a good quality multi-vitamin/mineral to help prevent damage to genes.

Sources:
Nersesvan A et al, Chromosomal aberrations level in peripheral blood lymphocytes of women with polycystic ovary syndrome, J BUON, 2006 Oct-Dec;11(4):477-80
Norman, RJ, et al, Lifestyle choices, diet, and insulin sensitizers in polycystic ovary syndrome, Endocrine. 2006 Aug;30(1):35-43

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2) Keeping Ovaries May Boost Survival

Approximately 300 000 US women per year have their ovaries surgically removed as part of a hysterectomy. The rationale for this is that you are reducing your future risk of developing ovarian cancer, or are getting rid of the major cause of your PCOS.

But are there any disadvantages to losing your ovaries?

Recent studies are showing that removal of the ovaries may lead to a higher risk of death from cardiovascular disease and hip fracture. Removal may also result in a higher incidence of dementia and Parkinson's disease.

Ovarian removal before the age 65 may lead to an 8% increase in your overall risk of death before age 80.

Unless you have a known risk of ovarian cancer, we suggest you think twice before having your ovaries taken out. The ovaries are an important organ in your body and a continuing source of hormones, even if you are menopausal.

Source:
Parker, WH et al, Elective oophorectomy in the gynecological patient: when is it desirable?, Curr Opin Obstet Gynecol. 2007 Aug;19(4):350-354

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3) Link Between Liver Disease and Low Vitamin D?

In our last newsletter, we reported that an amazing 55% of women with PCOS may have fatty liver disease.

If one of every two women with polycystic ovary syndrome has liver disease, there is a big problem that is being overlooked.

If you have a sick liver, how do you expect to be healthy? You can't. It's impossible.

Now we have come across some research that suggests a possible link between low vitamin D levels and fatty liver disease. A recent study has shown that people with proven fatty liver disease have lower vitamin D levels than people with healthy livers. The lower the vitamin D, the worse the disease.

The absence of optimal levels of vitamin D may contribute to fatty liver disease. In addition, vitamin D plays other important roles in PCOS and fertility.

Therefore it makes sense to make sure you get enough vitamin D. This is why a new nutritional supplement for PCOS has a higher than average amount of vitamin D in it.

Sources:
Targher G et al, Associations between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D(3) concentrations and liver histology in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis. 2006 Aug 21; [Epub ahead of print]

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Thought for Today: "Happiness is more a state of health than of wealth." -- Frank Tyger

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