PCOS Review Newsletter #80

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

Issue #080      May 10, 2009 Bill Slater, Research Associate

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

1) Vitamins and Miscarriage

2) Healthy Diet vs. Male Hormones in Your Body

3) Tips for Smarter Thinking - Part I

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1) Vitamins and Miscarriage

Miscarriage is a common and poorly understood adverse pregnancy outcome. It is especially a problem for women with PCOS, who have significantly higher rates of miscarriage compared to other women.

The University of North Carolina recently released a study of 4,752 pregnant women. Results indicate that vitamin supplementation during early pregnancy was associated with a reduced risk of miscarriage.

After analyzing the data, the researchers concluded that any use of vitamins during early pregnancy was associated with a 57% reduced risk of miscarriage, compared with no use of vitamins. Thus, the results of this study suggest that use of vitamins during early pregnancy may reduce the risk of miscarriage.

If you are ovulating and trying to become pregnant, or are already pregnant, consider a high quality supplement such as Wellness Essentials for Pregnancy. According to this study, nutritional supplementation may reduce your odds of having a miscarriage.

Source:
Hasan R et al, Self-reported Vitamin Supplementation in Early Pregnancy and Risk of Miscarriage, Am J Epidemiol. 2009 Apr 16. [Epub ahead of print]

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2) Healthy Diet vs. Male Hormones in Your Body

One of the dominant characteristics of PCOS is the presence of excessively high levels of androgens, or male hormones. Testosterone is an androgen you've probably heard about.

High levels of androgens partially explain why you can't ovulate, and why you have disturbing symptoms of polycystic ovary syndrome such as acne, hair loss and excessive facial and body hair (hirsutism). Excessive androgens are also associated with long term health problems such as coronary heart disease, diabetes and metabolic syndrome.

Your doctor will typically prescribe birth control pills to birth control pills, which contain high doses of the feminizing hormones, estrogen and progesterone. You will still have high levels of androgen in your system, but the higher levels of estrogen and testosterone will mask the masculinizing effect of the androgens. While this can have some of the cosmetic effect you want, it does not address the underlying cause of high androgens, and it does not improve your health. But who wants to be on birth control pills year after year? And in any case, if you want to become pregnant, you'll have to stop the birth control pills anyway.

So is there anything else you can do besides take birth control pills? Fortunately, your lifestyle can improve your hormonal balance. Diet is a prime example.

Eastern Michigan University recently reviewed the role of diet on controlling androgen levels.

To help control androgens, they recommended a diet high in fiber, low in refined carbohydrates, low in trans and saturated fats, and higher in omega-3 and omega-9 fats. They also recommended consumption of anti-inflammatory compounds found in certain foods. These recommendations are especially beneficial for PCOS women who have an issue with weight, according to the article.

These dietary recommendations are very similar to the foods and recommended diet found in The Natural Diet Solution for PCOS and Infertility book. If you're not familiar with a diet designed to help you normalize your hormones, this book is a good place to start.

Sources:
Liepa GU et al, Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) and Other Androgen Excess-Related Conditions: Can Changes in Dietary Intake Make a Difference?, Nutr Clin Pract. 2008 Feb;23(1):63-71

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3) Tips for Smarter Thinking - Part I

Ancient sages have said: "You become what you think about." Take 15 minutes out of your busy day, and reflect upon these tips for smarter thinking.

1) I will allow my real personality to just be, and accept myself as I am.

2) I will listen to my intuition about what I really want in life and be OK with what I want.

3) I will not compare myself to others.

4) I will adjust myself to what it is. I will face reality. I will seek to change what I can and accept those things I cannot change.

5) I will release judgments of others since I do not walk in their shoes.

6) I will seek to live through this day only, and not try to overcome all of my longer term problems at once. I know I can do something for 12 hours that would seem impossible to me if I felt that I had to keep it up for a lifetime.

7) I will focus on becoming happy. Abraham Lincoln said, "Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be." I will not dwell on thoughts that depress me. I will chase them out of my mind and replace them with happier thoughts.

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Thought for Today: "Disability is a matter of perception." -- Martina Navratilova