PCOS Review Newsletter #68

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

Issue #068      November 3, 2008 Bill Slater, Research Associate

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

1) Melatonin Supports Your Ovaries

2) Fish Oil May Aid Melatonin Production

3) Wrong Diet Hurts Your Eyesight

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1) Melatonin Supports Your Ovaries

Melatonin is a hormone produced by the pineal gland in your brain. Melatonin helps to manage the day-night rhythms of your body. It also is a powerful protector of DNA and other cell components because of its antioxidant characteristics. Melatonin is produced primarily at night when it is dark and you are asleep.

So how does melatonin relate to PCOS and your ovaries? There's not much research on this topic.

However, we uncovered some new research from Yamaguchi University in Japan. The doctors reviewed the medical literature and concluded: "Melatonin could become an important medication for improving ovarian function and oocytes [egg] quality, and open new opportunities for the management of several ovarian diseases."

It appears that melatonin has a direct effect on the ovaries and it is known that ovarian cells contain receptors for the melatonin hormone. In other words, melatonin appears to play a role in the function of your ovaries. That role appears to be protective.

There is one report from the Madonna della Grazie Heallth Institute in Italy that is interesting. It says, according to their study, that treatment with 3 mg. of melatonin for 6 months "restores menstrual cyclicity and fertility" in women who were close to menopause. They did not study younger women.

The researchers also reported "a remarkable and highly significant improvement of thyroid function". Remember that impaired thyroid function is a common feature of PCOS, so melatonin could also be helpful for your thyroid gland.

But here's a two-fold problem.

1) First, it's not clear whether you are producing an optimal amount of melatonin at night when it is dark. If you stay up late at night with the lights on, or if your sleep quality is poor, you could be manufacturing less melatonin that you need. As we reported in the last issue, women with polycystic ovary syndrome are less likely to have quality sleep.

2) Second, there is some evidence that you could be excreting more melatonin than you should. It seems that high testosterone levels are connected to the loss of melatonin. Of course, some women with PCOS tend to have excessively high testosterone levels. PCOS is a complex condition with multiple possible hormone imbalances contributing to it. It may be that in certain stages of the development of PCOS, testosterone levels are high and in other phases of the condition, the opposites is true.

In summary, this is some exciting new research information about melatonin as a hormone that may play a supporting role in maintaining ovarian health. There is more work that needs to be done before its role is completely understood.

Therefore, even though you can obtain melatonin in many retail outlets, we suggest you consult with a licensed health professional about the advisability of taking supplemental melatonin.

Source:
Tamura H et al Melatonin and the ovary: physiological and pathophysiological implications, Fertil Steril. 2008 Sep 17. [Epub ahead of print]
Bellipanni G et al Effects of melatonin in perimenopausal and menopausal women: our personal experience, Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2005 Dec;1057:393-402
Luboshitzky R et al Urinary 6-sulfatoxymelatonin excretion in hyperandrogenic women: the effect of cyproterone acetate-ethinyl estradiol treatment, Exp Clin Endocrinol Diabetes. 2004 Feb;112(2):102-7

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2) Fish Oil May Aid Melatonin Production

The average diet of people in "advanced" countries is woefully deficient in certain omega-3 fats, which are found primarily in fish.

Omega-3 fats play an important role in helping you to manage PCOS.

In addition, according to a recent French study of hamsters, omega-3 fats improve production of melatonin as well. One group of hamsters was given a diet deficient in omega-3 fats. The other group had a diet adequate in omega-3 fats. The omega-3 deficient hamsters had melatonin production that was 52% lower than the other hamsters.

It appears that omega-3 fats favorably affect the pineal gland in the brain, which is the production center for melatonin.

Fish oil EPA-DHA capsules offer a highly concentrated amount of omega-3 fats. It's a good way to get the essential fats you need without having to eat a lot of fish.

Other good sources are cod liver oil and cold-water fish.

Source:
Lavialle M et al, An (n-3) polyunsaturated fatty acid-deficient diet disturbs daily locomotor activity, melatonin rhythm, and striatal dopamine in Syrian hamsters, J Nutr. 2008 Sep;138(9):1719-24

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3) Wrong Diet Hurts Your Eyesight

It appears that the PCOS diet as described in our book not only improves PCOS symptoms, but it also could protect you from future vision loss.

Part of the reason is that the diet is a low "glycemic index" type of diet. In other words, our recommended diet does not cause a reactive spike in your blood sugar after you eat. The low glycemic effect of wholesome foods helps you to control your blood sugar and insulin levels, thus reducing the impact of PCOS.

New research suggests that this type of diet will also protect you from a form of vision loss called age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

A study of 3,554 people conducted by Westmead hospital in Australia showed that the glycemic index of foods consumed over a ten year period was linked to the rate of age-related macular degeneration.

The people consuming foods with the highest glycemic index had a 77% higher risk of developing AMD than those consuming foods with the lowest glycemic index.

A diet consisting of healthy foods with a low glycemic index not only helps you deal with PCOS and restore a more normal hormonal balance, it also protects your vision and overall health.

Source:
Kaushik S et al Dietary glycemic index and the risk of age-related macular degeneration, Am J Clin Nutr. 2008 Oct;88(4):1104-10

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Thought for Today: "There is only one success -- to be able to spend your life in your own way." -- Christopher Morley