Ep 7: PCOS and Inflammation

PCOS Overview

PCOS is a hormonal and metabolic syndrome causing symptoms like fertility problems, insulin resistance, fatigue and so much more. There is research showing that women with PCOS have higher levels of inflammation than those without PCOS. 

Inflammation and PCOS:

Inflammation is your body’s natural response to fighting off pathogens or foreign substances in the body, and is helpful when dealing with illness. It’s also normal - we need inflammatory processes to work to protect our health. However, a chronic state of inflammation has been shown to lead to many other problems, such as a decreased immune response, cardiovascular disease, and even decreased fertility1. 

 

How Would I Know If I Have Inflammation:

 

• HS-CRP
• Homocysteine
• IL-6

Symptoms of inflammation can be very prominent. When you get a cut, your body sends extra white blood cells to the area, so you may see something like puss. It’s also common to see redness, heat, and swelling. When we are talking about chronic low grade inflammation it can sometimes be harder to know which symptoms correlate with this type of inflammation because they can cross over with many other conditions. 

 

You may experience:

• Headaches
• Joint pain
• Joint stiffness
• Sore muscles
• Weakened immune system (catching every illness)
• Swelling
• Gastrointestinal problems
• Fatigue
• Resistant weight loss

 

It wouldn’t be hard for most of us to check off a few of those items with PCOS and hormone issues.

 

So How Can We Decrease Inflammation?:

 

Like many other areas of PCOS hormones and symptoms, inflammation is something that is impacted by every meal we make and other environmental factors. This can feel overwhelming, but I’d recommend you look at it as an opportunity to make huge strides towards health at every meal.

 

• Blood sugar management
• Increase anti-inflammatory foods in your diet to help manage your PCOS. 

Avoid foods that promote inflammation:

• Inflammatory oils (canola and other industrial seed oils)
• Harsh chemicals (pesticides and other food production chemicals)
• Artificial food dyes
• Highly processed foods
• Foods that you may have a specific reaction to like: food allergies or sensitivities 

Spices that fight inflammation

Spices are a great affordable and accessible way to boost the anti-inflammatory benefits of food. That’s not the only benefit, they also taste great too! Smelling these spices while cooking helps your body create digestive enzymes allowing you to better digest your food! 

Some of the most potent and healing spices are:

• Ginger
• Cinnamon 
• Turmeric (combined with black pepper for full benefits)
• Garlic 

Other Ways to Fight Inflammation:

• Increasing antioxidants in supplement form 
• Address auto-immune triggers

(for example foods like gluten if diagnosed with celiac or hashimoto’s disease)

• Work with a doctor if you are struggling and consider steroids. Your doctor can suggest the best and most personalized option for you.  

In Summary

Women with PCOS struggle with inflammation more often than those without PCOS. Inflammation can sneak into our lives in the food we eat, the products we use, or the stressors we deal with. 

There are options for decreasing inflammation that can greatly decrease negative symptoms that often trouble women with PCOS. Perhaps one of the most important foundations is blood sugar balance, something we see repeatedly as a benefit for those of us with PCOS. You can also increase your fruit and vegetable intake, and incorporate some anti-inflammatory spices.

You can also request the blood markers of inflammation at your annual visits to monitor inflammation levels. 

Take away: eat a meal with two different colors fruit/veggies and a size of protein at least as big as your fist.

Source:

1. What is inflammation, and why is it dangerous? - Harvard Health 
2. ​​Effects of Probiotic Supplementation on Hormonal Profiles, Biomarkers of Inflammation and Oxidative Stress in Women With Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial. 
3. Source and amount of carbohydrate in the diet and inflammation in women with polycystic ovary syndrome
4. Foods that fight inflammation - Harvard Health 
5. Levels, Tests, High Homocysteine Levels 
6. Status of Homocysteine in Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) 
7. Interleukin-6 Levels in Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis - PMC. 
8. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27104030/