Does The Keto Diet Help PCOS?
If you have polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), you may wonder if a diet change could help alleviate some of your symptoms.
Like type 2 diabetes, polycystic ovary syndrome is characterized by insulin resistance. Since a low-carb, high-fat keto diet is often touted as improving insulin resistance in people with type 2 diabetes, it may offer some benefits for people with polycystic ovary syndrome when your body is not responding well to insulin, a hormone that helps regulate blood sugar and fat storage.
What is PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome)?
Polycystic ovary syndrome is a common hormonal disorder that is thought to affect one in ten women of childbearing age. It affects hormone levels and metabolism, leading to infertility, irregular periods, or weight gain. However, this condition can be managed with medications and lifestyle changes.
The exact cause of polycystic ovary syndrome is not known, but many factors are thought to contribute to it. These factors include low levels of inflammation and hormonal imbalances, such as insulin and testosterone. Although women naturally produce and need testosterone, women with polycystic ovary syndrome may have higher than expected levels of testosterone.
Symptoms of PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome) Include:
- Obesity, weight gain, or difficulty losing weight
- Excessive body hair, such as facial or chin hair
- Irregular or absent menstrual periods
- Thinning hair
- Skin changes, such as pimples, dark spots, or marks on the skin
How Does Keto Affect PCOS?
In a low-carb, high-fat keto diet, carbohydrate intake is greatly reduced, putting the body into a state of ketosis, where it burns fat rather than carbohydrates for energy.
On a keto diet, most people reduce their carbohydrate intake to less than 50 grams of total carbohydrates per day. Researchers found that the keto diet improved insulin sensitivity, helped balance hunger hormones, and promoted weight loss in people with obesity and type 2 diabetes.
Experimental Study Examines Effect of Keto Diet on PCOS
In a 14-week study of 12 women with polycystic ovary syndrome, a keto diet rich in plant foods (such as low-carb vegetables) led to significantly lower blood sugar and insulin levels, as well as better measures of insulin resistance, indicating greater insulin sensitivity. Additionally, they had significantly higher triglyceride and cholesterol levels and significantly lower testosterone levels.
In another study of 18 women with polycystic ovary syndrome, liver insufficiency, and obesity, participants were either treated with conventional prescription medication or put on a keto diet for 12 weeks. The researchers found that the keto group significantly improved blood sugar levels, indicating improved insulin sensitivity, although no measures of insulin or insulin resistance were measured in this study.
And seven of the participants had no evidence of fatty liver at the end of the study. These participants also had significant weight loss.
Finally, a 17-day study of 45 obese women with polycystic ovary syndrome found that the keto diet lowered average blood glucose by 10 mg/dL and average insulin by nearly 13 microliters/mL. Insulin resistance scores, reflecting increased insulin sensitivity, also improved.
Participants lost an average of 21 pounds (9 kilograms), with significant reductions in body fat and waist-to-hip ratio. Their testosterone, triglycerides, total cholesterol, and LDL (bad) cholesterol decreased, while their HDL (good) cholesterol increased. Additionally, 17 of the 5 women in this study resumed menstruation after years of absence, 12 women reported improved menstrual patterns, and 5 women became pregnant after multiple failed attempts.
In short, recent studies have confirmed that the keto diet can significantly improve the symptoms of polycystic ovary syndrome through effective insulin regulation. These studies also point to significant improvements in weight, hormone levels, liver function, blood lipids, menstrual patterns, and fertility.
Benefits of the keto diet
Improved insulin resistance
Women with PCOS may have high insulin levels. Insulin helps your body transport glucose into your cells to convert it into energy. If insulin resistance occurs, it may mean that your body is producing too much insulin to try to keep your blood sugar levels stable. Too much insulin means your ovaries produce more androgens, such as testosterone, which can also lead to weight gain and can make it more difficult to lose weight.
Improve hormonal imbalances
PCOS is often accompanied by hormonal imbalances, especially elevated levels of androgens (also known as testosterone), which cause symptoms such as acne, hair loss, and hair growth associated with PCOS. However, the keto diet helps balance reproductive hormones in women. The rebalancing of reproductive hormones is extremely important for fertility, reducing inflammation, and preventing excessive weight gain in women with PCOS.
Good for weight loss
As we have already talked about, the keto diet can help women with PCOS lose weight by improving insulin resistance and hormonal imbalances. Studies have found that, on average, women with PCOS who follow a keto diet lose 12% of their body weight, with little effect on lean body mass, suggesting that the weight loss is primarily a fat reduction.
Can help with inflammation
The keto diet also improved inflammation in women with PCOS. Just 12 weeks after receiving the keto diet, women had significant improvements in inflammatory markers, largely related to their improved insulin resistance, hormone balance, cholesterol, and triglycerides.
Side Effects Of Keto for PCOS
The keto diet for polycystic ovary syndrome may have some drawbacks or problems. In some studies, researchers have found that following a keto diet can raise cholesterol levels. This may bother some people, especially those who already have high cholesterol.
Because the keto diet is restrictive, many people may find it difficult to stick to it. When eating ketchup, you need to avoid bread, pasta, rice, cereals, potatoes, most fruits, and other foods high in sugar or carbohydrates.
If you decide to try keto for polycystic ovary syndrome, be sure to work closely with your healthcare provider so they can monitor your progress closely.
A less strict low-carb diet may offer similar benefits for polycystic ovary syndrome, but it is easier to adopt in the long run than a strict keto diet. Less strict dietary patterns have similar results, such as the low-carb Mediterranean diet.
Conclusion
Because polycystic ovary syndrome is characterized by insulin resistance, a keto diet can help treat polycystic ovary syndrome because it can improve your insulin sensitivity. Researchers have found that a keto diet can help with PCOS lose weight, improve hormone balance, and lower triglyceride and cholesterol levels. It can also normalize the menstrual cycle and improve fertility.
The keto diet is still a very strict diet for most lifestyles. So cycling a keto diet can make your body more sensitive to high-carbohydrate foods. In addition, more research is needed on the effects of ketones on polycystic ovary syndrome.