Nutrient deficiency in PCOS women | Dr elsa

Nutrient deficiency in PCOS women | Dr elsa

What is PCOS?

PCOS, or polycystic ovarian syndrome, is a hormonal condition  that can affect women during their reproductive years. PCOS patients typically have one or more of the following symptoms:

  • If women have Irregular periods both inflow and frequency
  • If women have  Acne and unwanted body and facial hair
  • If women have diabetes and high blood pressure

Treatments are available for these symptoms. You may also get pregnant, though you may need to take fertility medications.

Treatment

Treatment will be determined by your symptoms, age, and desire to become pregnant. If you're overweight, decreasing just 5% to 10% of your body weight can help improve insulin resistance.  It also may help to improve your fertility.

If you are not ready to  get pregnant then your health care provider might prescribe hormonal birth control, like pills. These medications will help to reduce  your risk of endometrial cancer, get your periods on track or on time, help in clear up acne, and lessen extra body hair. After some time If you want to get pregnant, fertility medications can help your ovaries to release eggs.

Nutrient Deficiency Associated With PCOS

A variety of nutritional deficits are connected with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS). Even if you are eating a substantial balanced based diet that contains ample vegetables, fruits, and proteins, it is still possible to become deficient in certain nutrients due to the disease process. Your body may lack important vitamins, minerals and micronutrients.

How Does Vitamin Deficiency Affect PCOS?

Any healthy diet plan requires a well-balanced repository of vitamins and minerals. Dieticians, on the other hand, frequently overestimate the importance of "macros." Macronutrients are carbohydrate, protein, and fat. According to research, women with PCOS are frequently at risk of dietary deficits in basic minerals such as potassium and magnesium. When it comes to vitamins, B12 and B9 are frequently deficient. Vitamin D insufficiency has also been linked to PCOS, depression, and insulin resistance.

Common Nutritional Deficiencies In PCOS Patients

Magnesium

Magnesium is very important in the human body. It plays an important role that helps in our metabolism, blood sugar levels, blood pressure and muscle function. Women who are having  PCOS have a deficiency of magnesium. Moreover, taking contraceptive pills can lower magnesium levels in your body.

To increase the amount of  your magnesium intake, you can eat the following foods:

  • Nuts (hazelnuts, almonds)
  • Vegetables (potatoes, spinach)
  •  Grains (oats, rice, sorghum, teff, barley)

Vitamin D

Vitamin D is important for the  hormones such as Follicle-Stimulating Hormone (FSH), progesterone levels and Anti-Mullerian Hormone (AMH) . Vitamin D also helps you to  reduce insulin resistance in your body and improves blood sugar levels.

According to search Up to 85 percent of women with PCOS have a Vitamin D deficiency. 

The risk is naturally increased if they live in areas with limited sunlight. Inadequacy is frequently cited as a major cause of infertility in PCOS women. It also raises testosterone levels and causes inflammation in the body.

Research reports  have shown that vitamin D supplementation improves fertility and  decreases testosterone levels, and lowers inflammation) in women who are having PCOS

No matter where we live in this world, we always think that we are getting a lot of sunlight, but somehow we still miss out on it, which leads to a deficiency of vitamin D. Consumption of vitamin D is considered important for better regulation of reproductive hormones affecting pregnancy. Vitamin D also helps reduce insulin resistance and manage blood sugar levels in the body.  

Here are Some foods list  you can take to boost your Vitamin D levels:

  • Eggs
  • Orange and honey
  • Fortified milk and other dairy products
  • Honey 
  • Fish
  •  Zinc

Zinc plays a key role in your body enzyme activity just like magnesium . Zinc helps you to promote fertility and regulate the menstrual cycle . The two nutrients can help with PCOS symptoms such as acne, hair loss, excessive testosterone, inflammation, and hirsutism. However, if you’re taking birth control pills then you’re actively depleting zinc levels in your body.

Here are some foods that will help you boost your zinc levels.

  •  Spinach, Pomegranates or Mushrooms
  •  Kidney beans and Peanuts
  •  Seeds (like sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds)

Vitamin B12

 vitamin B12 deficiency sign is Tiredness, despite sleeping well,B12 helps red blood cells carry oxygen around the body. Without sufficient amounts of vitamin B12 it can make a person feel extremely tired you all day long. Tiredness can also be caused by other factors overlooked in people with PCOS.

Vitamin B12 is essential in:

  • Red blood cell formation, DNA synthesis, and nerve function.
  • To lower PCOS and obesity
  • This vitamin is found primarily in animal foods, so the risk for deficiency is higher in vegetarians and vegans. An increase in vitamin B12 can ward off symptoms and make you better. Here are some foods lists you should be incorporating in your diet:
  • Meat 
  • Dairy products 
  • Vegetables
  • Fortified breakfast cereals
  • Fruits

Folate

Folate is also known as Vitamin B9 is important for women with PCOS because it helps control inflammation. Apart from just PCOS patients, vitamin B9 is also considered the best for pregnant women or someone willing to be one. It may help with the proper development of the fetus’s spine, brain, skull, and other parts during the first 4 weeks of pregnancy.  

Food items to boost vitamin B9 levels

  • Fresh fruits 
  • Whole grains 
  • Peanuts 
  • Sunflower seeds 
  • Leafy green vegetables
  • Spinach, Broccoli and Apple
  • Brown bread, Oatmeal and Brown rice
  • Beef, Salmon and Halibut

Vitamin E

Vitamin E is a lipid-soluble vitamin and regulates the balance between antioxidant and oxidant systems. Besides, new evidence confirmed that vitamin E could improve endometrial (Inner lining of the uterus ) thickness in women with unexplained infertility, and the effects were attributed to its anticoagulant and antioxidant effects. Another study showed that Vitamin E and Omega-3 fatty acid co-supplementation in women with PCOS for 12 weeks provided significant improvement in androgen levels.

Rich sources of Vitamin E are :

  • Peanut, Almonds and Sunflower seeds
  • Mango, Avocado and Pumpkin
  • Red bell pepper, Asparagus and Spinach

Calcium

Calcium Funnily enough, do you remember that as children we were so often reminded that we needed calcium to make our bones stronger and healthier? But most of us are still missing out on this. For women, low calcium levels can lead to bone breakages and osteoporosis (the loss of bone density). It is advised to have a proper amount of calcium or take calcium supplements that best suit you.  

Food items to boost calcium levels

  • Milk and cheese
  • Fortified flour
  • Soybeans 
  • Fruits 
  • Green vegetables 

Chromium

Chromium is a mineral that can be found in foods and the environment. Chromium supplements are frequently used to aid with weight loss and blood sugar control. Chromium acts by enhancing insulin's activity in the body. Insulin is required for carbohydrate, lipid, and protein metabolism and storage in the body. It's unclear how it works as a supplement in the body. It can be present in a number of foods, although the amount in each type of food is not always obvious.

Rich sources of Chromium are :

  • Broccoli
  • Grape juice
  • Whole wheat bread

If you are diagnosed with PCOS or are experiencing the symptoms, it is advised to not miss out on getting enough of what your body needs and to always follow a healthy diet. Even after following the right diet and getting the right vitamins and nutrients if you see no changes then consult the Best Gynaecologist in Dubai. In general, PCOS can be kept under control with some major lifestyle changes and timely treatment under the guidance of Dr. Elsa, the Topmost Female Gynaecologist in Dubai. Do not hesitate to ask for help from your doctor whenever needed or simply book an appointment at New Concept Clinic, a Gynaecology Hospital in Dubai offering Gynaecological Services in Dubai.