Around the world, 1 in 10-15 women has PCOS, but only recently has it become more commonly known what PCOS actually is. In this episode of the Fertility Friday podcast, host Lisa talks to Dr. Fiona McCulloch. After receiving a PCOS diagnosis, Dr. Fiona did a lot of research on PCOS, eventually resulting in the book 8 Steps to Reverse your PCOS. Dr. Fiona McCulloch has now helped thousands of women reverse their PCOS. In their conversation, they dive deep into everything related to PCOS: diagnosis, symptoms at different ages, underlying processes, causes, and how to reverse PCOS.
Topics discussed in this episode: #
- How PCOS actually is a metabolic disease, rather than a fertility disease, that starts in childhood and continues until after menopause. Notice that PCOS does not go away after having a baby or menopause.
- How PCOS is caused by both a genetic component and a lifestyle component.
- How people with PCOS have both an overall higher level of insulin after eating and dysfunction in the fat cells that causes different hormonal levels. This combination can already be observed in childhood and can result in insulin resistance or type 2 diabetes.
- Why women with PCOS have chronic low-grade inflammation that can impact the ovaries and is also related to food sensitivities and autoimmune diseases such as Hashimoto.
- How to reverse PCOS by eating a whole foods diet that prevents strong insulin responses by the body. Other things that can be done for PCOS: researching gut health, researching the presence of autoimmune or thyroid conditions, using supplements that address inflammation, and doing sports.
- The hormone cycle of people with PCOS and why lab tests for testosterone are often not accurate for women.
- How levels of certain hormones (such as androgens, progesterone, estrogen, LH, and FSH) might be different in women with PCOS and why women with PCOS often do better with a lower range of thyroid hormones.
- How, for women with adrenal androgen excess (high DHEA-S), the level of testosterone might be higher and why stress reduction is extra important for these women.
- How teenage girls actually have very PCOS-like symptoms as part of going into puberty: adrenal androgen excess is normal in teenage girls, and they also may have ovarian cysts that look like PCOS.
- That it takes about two to ten years for a woman’s cycle to fully mature.
- That hormonal levels go down with age, making what is normal change as you age.
- The relationship between PCOS and cardiovascular disease.
Dr. Fiona McCulloch main recommendation? If you think that you have PCOS: get yourself tested. It is important to reverse your PCOS, not only for your fertility but also for your overal health.
Learn more about the work of Dr. Fiona by visiting her website at White Lotus Clinic, reading her book or following her on Instagram.
Want to know more about the difference between PCOS and HA? Read our article on the topic!
Other podcast episodes by Fertility Friday on PCOS #
- Epiosde 22 What is PCOS with Amy Medling
- Episode 60 met Katherine Sherif (also referred to in this episode). Katherine Sherif is one of the most experienced PCOS doctors worldwide.
