Many women with PCOS eat right and exercise but are not seeing the benefits. I hope I can help you understand why.
Everything we get told about weight loss is to "lose calories". Yes, calories are important, but the hormone environment these calories enter determines how we use them. So, your hormones may be sabotaging your weight loss.
These hormones gear your body to be in a "weight storage" metabolic state rather than a "weight loss" state.
"What are the common hormones in PCOS sabotaging my weight loss?"
Testosterone
Women with PCOS can suffer with "hyperandrogenism" (very high testosterone). Testosterone increases fat distribution in females by increasing fat storage in "visceral adipose tissue" (fat cells).
Additionally, research has shown that high testosterone levels are associated with lower levels of cholecystokinin (CCK) which is a hunger suppressing hormone.
SCIENCE ALERT: "How does testosterone increase fat storage in visceral adipose tissue?"
Studies have suggested that the activation of a cellular signalling pathway called the "Wnt signalling pathway", acts as a molecular switch that activates "adipogenesis", the scientific name for fat storage.
It is thought that testosterone enhances this signalling pathway to accelerate fat storage in females.
Insulin
Women with PCOS can suffer with "hyperinsulinemia" as a consequence of Insulin Resistant PCOS. This is strongly associated with weight gain.
Additionally, hyperglycaemia (very high blood sugar levels) caused by insulin resistance can cause weight gain.
Cortisol
Cortisol is a hormone secreted by the adrenal gland. This is activated by ACTH secretion which is elevated in Adrenal PCOS. This high cortisol can increase mid-section fat gain.
"What can I do to help balance these hormones?"
Look for your PCOS type on my website and look for the supplements, exercise and dieting tips you can do to decrease testosterone, insulin and cortisol. To find tips to reduce insulin and cortisol (stress management), look at each PCOS type individually.
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