Over the past year I've been diagnosed with PCOS and my doctor recommended losing weight to help regulate my period. We have a family history and my aunts say their pcos has become more manageable after eating less carbohydrates, so I am considering changing my diet. Is there any actual evidence that doing that or losing weight can help with pcos? I'm 15, so I want to try and manage this early on and avoid going on birth control if I can, so if anyone has any info it'd be appreciated.
All weight talk is harmful to minors so I’m already not super happy about how your doctor is handling this. Food restriction, even just deliberately cutting sugar out, can lead to eating disorders in anyone and is very risky in children and adolescents.
PCOS is not caused by weight, weight is caused by PCOS. It is almost impossible to lose weight and keep it off, even for people without a disorder that causes weight gain. A lot of us find we suddenly gain weight while keeping consistent eating and exercise habits constant. This is due to hormonal changes and insulin resistance from PCOS.
There aren’t a ton of HAES/intuitive eating resources out there, but I did find this page through @heavyweighthearthttp://www.laurathomasphd.co.uk/podcast/pcos/
You can also read through @bigfatscience‘s PCOS tag. They have a lot of links, including links to scientific studies there.
I’m not sure why you want to avoid birth control, but it and eventually metformin have really helped me for the past 20+ years. I realize these medicines aren’t for everyone and might be unaffordable for a lot of people, but the evidence shows these are good treatments.
-Mod Siarl















