Can PCOS Be Cured? 9 PCOS Myths Debunked

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common endocrine disorder in women during their reproductive years. It often causes irregular menstrual cycles, hair loss, and fertility problems. Unfortunately, if you have PCOS, there’s an endless amount of fear-inducing misinformation and myths to sort through that are floating around on the internet. In this blog post, we will debunk the top 9 myths about polycystic ovarian syndrome and women’s health, and provide you with tips for managing your PCOS symptoms with healthy eating and lifestyle changes.

For anyone newly diagnosed with PCOS, it’s important to have the most up-to-date information about your condition. This will lead you down the best path for you to properly treat PCOS, and empower you as a patient.

Getting the right information into the hands of PCOS patients, as well as shedding light on what to expect is the first step toward learning how to manage PCOS so you can have healthy hair, balance hormones, and a full life! So let’s debunk some PCOS myths!

Join me for more healthy hormone recommendations (and a space to find your power) inside the NEW Superwoman Circle.

9 PCOS Myths Debunked

All women with PCOS have ovarian cysts

Because of its name, most people think it’s caused by cysts on the ovaries. And while a good portion of those who have PCOS do indeed have ovarian cysts, many women don’t, and it’s also not mandatory for diagnosis. Some experts even say that the name itself is “distracting” and they support changing it to something more fitting (1). Clinically, to be diagnosed with PCOS you have to have 2 out of the following: high androgen levels, ovarian cysts, and/or anovulatory cycles (2).

Read more: 9 PCOS Symptoms You Don’t Expect

You can’t get pregnant if you have PCOS

PCOS is a common cause of fertility problems for women, but that doesn’t mean carrying a healthy pregnancy to term is impossible. If you have PCOS, your period may be irregular—or missing altogether. And while you’re more likely to notice your missing period, the culprit behind it is actually a lack of ovulation, which is when your ovary releases an egg each month. Simply put, not ovulating means you cannot get pregnant. A healthy lifestyle and certain diet changes, as well as supplements can help stimulate ovulation and the chances of conceiving naturally.

Read: How to Get Pregnant with PCOS

Missing or irregular menstrual cycle? It’s always PCOS

PCOS is one cause of an irregular period, but many women experience changes in their cycles not due to PCOS. A typical cycle ranges between 21 to 36 days. If it’s longer or shorter than that, underlying factors like stress, thyroid problems, significant weight gain or loss, and PCOS should be a consideration. Keeping track of your symptoms and a healthy menstrual cycle requires careful self-evaluation.

Related: The Best Supplements for PCOS

You can cure PCOS with weight loss

First, there isn’t a cure for PCOS—yet. Losing weight may improve PCOS symptoms, but it won’t necessarily make them go away completely.

Weight loss might be harder if you have PCOS, even despite eating healthy and exercising. Many women with PCOS have a lowered sensitivity to insulin, which does make it harder to lose weight. This is known as insulin resistance, and it’s commonly seen with PCOS.

Following a PCOS-friendly diet and getting regular exercise helps increase sensitivity to insulin, and may help decrease androgen levels responsible for PCOS-related hair loss and other symptoms (3).

Try these 6 easy PCOS diet recipes.

If you have PCOS you’ll have more body and facial hair

Hirsutism is the name for excess hair growth that may appear on the face, chest, stomach, or thighs. Excess body hair or facial hair is often a symptom of an imbalance in male hormones (androgens) that also cause hair loss on the crown of the head. PCOS isn’t the only condition that can cause body hair growth, and not everyone with PCOS will experience hirsutism. 

If you have PCOS, you have to be on hormonal birth control to regulate your cycles

Oral contraceptives are often recommended as the first (or sometimes only) option to “treat” PCOS, but this option does nothing to address the underlying hormone imbalance. The pill, or other type of hormonal birth control effectively masks symptoms, and does not regulate menstrual periods as some may suggest. Additionally, if you want to get pregnant, birth control certainly isn’t an option for you. Instead, a holistic approach can help you use diet, supplements such as myo-inositol, and a healthy lifestyle to reduce PCOS symptoms, especially if you’re trying to conceive (4).

Hair loss is permanent.

Hair loss with PCOS can be reversed if we address the underlying hormone imbalance, which in this case is higher than normal androgens. PCOS-related hair loss is called androgenic alopecia, and is a result of excess androgens produced by the ovaries. Often, reducing androgen levels can reverse PCOS related hair loss and hair thinning.

Hair loss or thinning hair is often one of the first visible symptoms of PCOS, and one reason women seek medical advice for their condition. Conventional solutions for hair loss often recommend expensive topical products, procedures to promote hair growth, or medication. Many hair loss medications have undesirable side effects that don’t address the underlying hormonal imbalance.

Stop hair loss: Why Your Hair Is Falling out And What You Can Do About It

PCOS doesn’t matter unless you want to get pregnant

PCOS isn’t just an issue for fertility. Women with PCOS are more likely to have insulin resistance and higher levels of inflammation which increases the risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease (5). Women with PCOS are also more likely to be magnesium deficient, have higher blood pressure, and have an increased risk of endometrial cancer (6). This is another reason why an oral contraceptive is not adequate treatment for PCOS.

Balancing your hormones doesn’t have to be overwhelming. For simple steps, take the quiz to start here!

PCOS is caused by being overweight or a lack of exercise

We don’t yet know exactly what causes PCOS, but we do know for sure it’s not caused by being overweight, or a lack of exercise. Maintaining a healthy weight and staying active is a key factor for women’s health and may improve PCOS symptoms, but these behaviors don’t directly cause PCOS.

PCOS truths to remember

PCOS often runs in the family

If other women in your family have PCOS or are undiagnosed but have similar symptoms, you’re more likely to have PCOS as well (7).

PCOS can be managed with diet and lifestyle

You don’t have to take hormonal birth control to manage your symptoms, and you can control hair loss, fertility, and your health with holistic medicine. Can PCOS be cured? No, but the most influential lifestyle changes are simple to start:

• Reduce (or omit) refined carbohydrates. Processed carbs like bread, pasta, cereal and others contribute to high insulin levels and inflammation, which makes them one of the most problematic foods for people with PCOS.
• Eat lots of anti-inflammatory foods. A variety of nutrient-dense plant foods, leafy greens,
•  omega-3 fats, and proteins keep inflammation low and build happy hormones.
• Optimize quality proteins and healthy fats. Protein and fat stabilize insulin levels and boost satiety. Fats also modulate inflammation that often runs rampant with PCOS. Get plenty of foods like avocados, nuts and seeds, ghee, whole eggs, coconut, olive oil, and fatty fish like salmon or mackerel.
• Get plenty of exercise, but don’t overdo it. Getting regular exercise is great for PCOS, but a super high intensity can exhaust the adrenal glands and ramp up cortisol production, worsening things like hair loss and fatigue. Lower-intensity exercise, such as strength-training, yoga, and activities like hiking can keep you fit while protecting your hormone balance.

Not sure if you’re dealing with a hormone imbalance, or something else? Take the quiz to find out!

Managing Polycystic ovary syndrome with Holistic Medicine

PCOS is a complex hormonal condition that still carries a lot of myths and misinformation with it. However, you have more power than you think to balance your hormones and take control of your hormones. With the help of holistic medicine, you can get on the path to better health and manage your PCOS symptoms effectively. What kinds of myths have you battled during your PCOS journey?

Resources 

1. https://academic.oup.com/jcem/article/99/4/1142/2537201
2. https://www.aafp.org/afp/2016/0715/p106.html 
3. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphys.2020.00606/full 
4. https://reproductive-health-journal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12978-021-01073-3 
5. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3245829 
6. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21696337 
7. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6935309/