PCOS Review Newsletter #66

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

Issue #066      October 1, 2008 Bill Slater, Research Associate

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

1) PCOS Weight Loss Secret

2) More Health Benefits of D-Pinitol

3) Does PCOS Disappear when You Reach Menopause?

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1) PCOS Weight Loss Secret

In Chapter 3.4 of our book, we explain that the water content of your food plays an important role in weight loss and in having a feeling of satiety after a meal.

We said that the water in the food itself is more effective at controlling appetite and losing weight than low-moisture food accompanied by a glass of water.

This concept has now been verified by a study of 1,136 women conducted by the University of Tokyo. The researchers discovered that the intake of water from foods was inversely associated with body mass index or waist circumference.

In other words, the women consuming the most water in their foods were the leanest. The women consuming foods with the least water were the most overweight.

The researchers also reported that drinking water from beverages with meals had no impact on body mass index or waist circumference. Only the water within the foods was effective.

For example, you can control weight better with a handful of 20 grapes rather than 20 raisins with a glass of water.

This is why we emphasize wholesome, high-moisture foods in our recommended PCOS diet, such as soups, salads, fresh vegetables and fresh fruit.

Not only will you be able to better control weight, you will also be a lot healthier!

Source:
Murakami K et al Intake from water from foods but not beverages, is related to lower body mass index and waist circumference in humans, Nutrition. 2008 Oct;24(10):925-32

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2) More Health Benefits of D-Pinitol

Some of you are taking the d-Pinitol nutritional supplement. If so, we have some good news.

A new study from Annamalai University in India demonstrated that diabetic rats had a reduction in their blood sugar, total cholesterol, and triglycerides when given d-pinitol. In addition to a lowering of total cholesterol, there was a significant decrease in the "bad" LDL/VLDL cholesterol and an increase in the "good" HDL cholesterol as a result of d-pinitol.

Another rat study from Inje University in Korea showed that d-pinitol had a protective effect on their livers. The d-pinitol appeared to have an anti-oxidant effect and also inhibited inflammation. This study is interesting because women with PCOS tend to have disturbed, dysfunctional livers. The liver-protective aspect of d-pinitol is in addition to its ability to aid in restoration of ovulation and reduction of insulin resistance.

D-pinitol is available here.

We'll have more good news about d-pinitol in our next newsletter. Stay tuned!

Sources:
Geethan PK et al, Antihyperlipidemic effect of D-pinitol on streptozotocin-induced diabetic Wistar rats, J Biochem Mol Toxicol. 2008 Jul;22(4):220-4
Zhou Y et al, Protective effect of pinitol against D-galactosamine-induced hepatotoxicity in rats fed on a high-fat diet, Biosci Biotechnol Biochem. 2008 Jul;72(7):1657-66

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3) Does PCOS Disappear when You Reach Menopause?

There's a widespread myth that polycystic ovarian syndrome is merely a problem with your ovaries, and that as soon as you reach menopause and your ovaries become less active, all of your PCOS symptoms will go away.

This myth is based on the false assumption that PCOS is simply a little problem that is going on in your ovaries. The truth is, PCOS is a multi-system, multi-organ, body-wide disorder with a number of no-so-visible problems.

Take heart disease for example. Women with polycystic ovary syndrome had a significantly higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease than non-PCOS women.

According the recent research from the University of Pittsburgh, heart disease does not disappear when you reach menopause, if you have a history of PCOS.

In this study, the researchers analyzed calcium deposits in the arteries of women with and without PCOS. (Calcium deposits are an indication of cardiovascular disease). Some of the women were premenopausal, some were "surgically" menopausal, and some were in natural menopause.

Sixty three percent of the PCOS women had calcified arteries vs. 41% for non-PCOS women. The research data also showed that "both surgical and natural menopause were independent risk factors" for calcified arteries.

So not only do you have a higher risk of calcium in your arteries regardless of your age or body weight (as compared to other women), you are also still at risk when you reach menopause (either naturally or surgically).

Think of PCOS as an iceberg. Most of the iceberg is below the surface, invisible. That's the way PCOS is. When you take pharmaceuticals like birth control pills, you are mostly attacking the visible part of PCOS, which is the smallest part.

What you also want to do is attack the largest, invisible part of PCOS that is hidden beneath the surface. The best way to do this is with a combination of natural therapies such as improved diet, more exercise, stress management, and selective nutritional supplementation.

The Natural Diet Solution for PCOS and Infertility is a book that provides a more comprehensive approach to help you attack the larger portion of the PCOS iceberg that is hidden beneath the surface.

Source:
Talbott EO et al Is there an independent effect of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and menopause on the prevalence of subclinical atherosclerosis in middle aged women?, Vasc Health Risk Manag. 2008;4(2):453-62

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Thought for Today: "Life is thickly sown with thorns, and I know no other remedy than to pass quickly through them. The longer we dwell on our misfortunes, the greater is their power to harm us." -- Voltaire