PCOS myths you need to know about!
There is a lot of information out there. One of the number one complaints I receive from women is that they don’t know what to do, they are confused by all of the recommendations and information being told or circulated they feel lost. So today I want to clear some of the common myths I see and hear so you can gain a little more clarity:
“ Getting my period means I ovulated “
You can have a period, and not ovulate. This is called an anovulatory bleed. On the pill women experience a bleed known as a withdrawal bleed from the synthetic hormones, this is not an in fact a real period.
Anovulatory bleeds are common in PCOS women because PCOS is characterized by anovulation meaning you don’t ovulate = no ovulatory period = no real period. This is why tracking your period with the rhythm method does not indicate ovulation. Check out my blog post about the Fertility Awareness Method to learn how you can use this method to predict and confirm ovulation.
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“ You have to avoid fruit with PCOS ”
Fruit contains natural sugars, fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that are needed for healthy hormones ( yes fruit sugar too!) and can improve PCOS and insulin resistance while also lowering your risk for chronic disease. I always recommend whole fruit over fruit juice to keep the fiber intact.
“ You only need PCO to be diagnosed with PCOS “
You actually don’t even need polycystic ovaries to be diagnosed, which is why there is talk about a name change for the PCOS syndrome. According to the (AE-PCOS) society, hyperandrogenism is a mandatory factor for PCOS diagnosis whereas PCO are not.
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" I can take birth control to fix my PCOS “
This is the conventional approach, and though birth control can reduce certain symptoms for a certain amount of time it is doing nothing to address PCOS at its core. In fact, hormonal birth control can actually worsen PCOS by promoting insulin resistance, dysbiosis, and inflammation. Hormonal contraceptives are actually recognized as endocrine disruptors as they introduce synthetic hormones into the body and inhibit ovulation.
And for many women, once they stop, their symptoms come back with a vengeance, because the underlying imbalances were never addressed in the first place. If you are taking HBC or wanting to transition off check out my blog post for everything you need to know.
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“ My lab work said everything was fine so I guess I don’t need to do anything? “
Labwork is not always going to tell you everything and it is not always very accurate due to ranges that can be too broad, incomplete testing, etc. A common mistake I see is ordering incomplete thyroid labs and only referring to TSH to assess thyroid function. TSH is not enough because it
If you don’t feel fine but your labs are “normal” keep investigating. How you feel is the best way to tell if you are fine or not! Click the link in my bio for my recommended labs to ask your doctor.
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“ If I have PCOS I need to eat low carb or keto ”
This is not a long-term sustainable approach to PCOS and can actually worsen conditions over time as we need carbs (the right ones!) for proper thyroid function, liver function, brain function, reproductive function, HPA axis regulation, insulin function, and microbiome health. A high-fat diet can alter the microbiome which can increase insulin resistance in PCOS, so be careful if you follow this type of diet for 3 months or more. Don’t pressure yourself into a diet, it is not necessary.
“ Pelvic pain is a normal part of PCOS “
Pelvic pain can be associated with functional ovarian cysts, usually when they become enlarged. Pelvic pain is not characteristic of PCOS.
“ If you aren’t worried about fertility you don’t need to care about your PCOS “
PCOS is about much more than just fertility, there is an increased risk of chronic disease and issues such as insulin resistance which is why it’s essential to take care of your health asap.
“ Removing your ovaries or uterus will cure your PCOS “
PCOS is not just about the reproductive system, it’s a systemic whole-body disorder that can affect all organs and systems of the body: metabolism, immune system, cardiovascular system, gut, skin, mind …
“ PCOS means you are infertile “
I prefer to use the word “subfertility” because PCOS women are completely capable of a natural healthy pregnancy however sometimes it can more challenging than others. Get to the root cause, always.
“ PCOS cysts are the same as other cysts ”
Polycystic ovaries = abnormal small cysts. These are ovarian follicles that are in partial development and didn’t grow to a normal size. The process of follicle growth is stalled because of high testosterone and high insulin. The outer layer of the follicle, called the theca, produces excess testosterone and thickens and stalls in the development process instead of going through ovulation. These partially developed follicles then accumulate in the ovary and make these string of pearls or “tiny cysts”.
Therefore they are not really cysts. PCOS “cysts” are characterized by 12 or more follicles that range from 2 to 9 mm.
“ Low calorie is the way to go to lose weight and improve PCOS ”
Dieting is not the answer to PCOS or weight loss. Yes losing weight, if you are overweight, can dramatically improve your PCOS and reduce the risk of chronic disease however as many PCOS women can confirm, it’s not as simple as calories in calories out. Weight loss, especially for women with PCOS, is more complex. In addition, if we solely focus on the numbers such as calories and macronutrients we are missing out on the overall health profile of the individual.
Restricting your food intake to dangerously low levels is a recipe for disaster for several reasons:
Diets typically lack nutrients - essential for healthy hormones and a healthy body
Diets are not sustainable yet PCOS (and our health) depends on our daily choices not a quick fix diet
Diets often involve packaged foods that are pro-inflammatory (inflammation reduces our ability to burn fat and increases fat storage)
Calorie suppression triggers physical and emotional cravings
Long term calorie deprivation and yo-yo dieting can trigger the body into starvation mode and make it conserve more energy than burn
Restricting one’s caloric intake over the long-term increases total daily cortisol. Restricting caloric intake may be a biological stressor because one of the main functions of cortisol is to increase the availability of energy in the body. The stress resulting from restricting one’s caloric intake to a mere 1200 kilocalories, therefore, may have reduced the absolute amount of energy available to the body, therefore leading to increased cortisol output to release energy stores. When cortisol is secreted our blood sugar goes up and we are more likely to store energy than burn fat for energy.
Thyroid function dials down to conserve energy during stressful periods. If you are not eating enough calories or carbohydrates the thyroid can slow down the overall metabolic rate but also reproductive function in an effort to conserve energy. Low thyroid function is very common in PCOS women and should always be tested.
With PCOS women, they often feel very frustrated with their weight because they are doing all the things like reducing their calories and carbs and exercising more yet they still can’t seem to lose the weight. This is because hormones are involved such as cortisol, leptin and insulin. We need to address the root imbalances in order to actually get results. Insulin resistance is a common obstacle that makes weight loss that more difficult.
Let’s focus on health first and foremost, the best strategy for long-term weight loss.
“ Cardio is the best exercise for PCOS “
First thing’s first, when it comes to exercise the best type is the one you will actually do. So find something that you enjoy!
Now for the science. When it comes to weight loss, caloric burn from exercise is actually really small. Especially when it comes to cardio, this type of exercise usually pushes us to eat more afterwards, this is, called compensatory eating.
For us women, exercise affects us differently which is why we need to be mindful of our output!
Working out for an hour or more increases our cortisol, making us hold onto fat. What can become a problem is the chronic cardio, marathons, spin classes, and cross fit. These are not great exercises for the female body, especially on a regular basis.
If you are already stressed and overdoing the workouts you are in cortisol excess already. This increases fat storage but also stresses the HPA axis resulting in lowered adrenal and thyroid function as well as dysregulated hormones. This is especially true with too much endurance exercise. HIT workouts in the long run are raising your cortisol, which is making you store more fat, and making you more insulin resistant.
This is why building muscle mass with strength-based exercises and lower-intensity movement are better options to regulate insulin as well as cortisol levels. too much cortisol isn’t good for a female body!
I usually recommend experimenting with strength training, lower intensity exercises, and HIIT twice per week maximum depending on the person. The best way to know if a workout is right for you is how you feel afterwards. Feel burnt out and depleted? It’s time to take it down a notch.
Remember to always do your research and listen to your body first and foremost! It knows best 🤍
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Disclaimer: Information on this site is intended only for informational purposes and is not a substitute for medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare provider before implementing changes. Read additional disclaimer info here.
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