What Is Insulin Resistance & How Does It Affect PCOS?

Published on: Dec 20, 2021

Medically Reviewed and Authored by:
Pari Saharkhiz, Doctor of Medicine, Canada, Ontario

Table of contents

If you have PCOS, are prediabetic, or deal with blood sugar issues, then you’ve probably heard the term insulin resistance. Insulin resistance is tricky for women with PCOS as it is both a symptom of PCOS and a driver of the condition. Let’s break down what insulin resistance is, what the symptoms are and the different ways in which women can help naturally manage insulin resistance and additional PCOS symptoms.

What Is Insulin Resistance?

Insulin resistance is when your body’s cells do not respond appropriately to insulin. Your cells use insulin to convert glucose into energy properly. However, those with insulin resistance misuse the insulin, causing the pancreas to kick into overdrive to produce more insulin. The extra insulin the pancreas produces causes the ovaries to begin producing excess androgens (male sex hormones). These excess androgens cause hormonal imbalances in women, resulting in insulin resistance PCOS.

It is rare to find PCOS without insulin resistance, but you can find insulin resistance without PCOS. Insulin resistance can develop in people with the following factors:

Obesity
High-sugar diet
High-carbohydrate diet
Chronic stress
Cushing’s disease
Steroid user
Rarely exercise

What Are The Symptoms & Signs Of Insulin Resistance PCOS?

Signs of Insulin Resistance PCOS

There are a few different signs of insulin resistance PCOS. While you obviously cannot physically see insulin resistance PCOS, there are some signs women begin to show. These signs of insulin resistance PCOS include:

Dark patches on your skin (acanthosis nigricans)
Developing of skin tags
Tingles in hands or feet
Increase urination
Extreme hunger and thirst
Brain fog (lack of concentration, memory, etc.)
And more.

If you show any of the above signs of insulin resistance PCOS, you need to contact your doctor for some tests. It is essential for women thinking about, or trying to conceive a baby. They might have undiagnosed insulin resistance PCOS that causes hormonal imbalances.

Symptoms of Insulin Resistance PCOS

There are many different PCOS insulin resistance symptoms. Some affect a woman’s fertility directly, while others affect her overall health. For example, women with insulin resistance PCOS often experience:

High blood pressure
High blood sugar
High cholesterol
Weight gain
PCOS fatigue (sleep apnea)
Irregular menstrual cycles & ovulation

Women with insulin resistance PCOS are at a very high risk of developing prediabetes, then developing into type-2 diabetes. It is imperative to speak to a physician about your symptoms and find an insulin resistance PCOS treatment. It also doesn’t hurt to eat a well-balanced diet, drink plenty of water, get loads of sleep and participate in daily exercise. These daily changes can be a game-changer for your overall health and managing insulin resistance PCOS.

How Can I Improve My Insulin Resistance PCOS?

If you have been diagnosed with insulin resistance PCOS, it’s time for yourself and your doctor to find the proper insulin resistance PCOS treatment for you. Luckily, Elan Healthcare’s founder is a medical doctor and has created all-natural supplements that directly fight insulin resistance PCOS. Getting a handle on your PCOS symptoms can lead you to live a higher quality of life and is highly beneficial for improving fertility.

Ovofolic (Inositol)

Two main types of inositol help fight insulin resistance PCOS, D-chiro-inositol and Myo-inositol.

D-chiro-inositol works to help manage and regulate insulin activity in the body. It does this by assisting cells to use insulin properly, reducing excess insulin production in the pancreas.

Myo-inositol works to help glucose metabolize through new pathways. Reducing excess androgen production from the ovaries, which causes hyperandrogenism, and overall improving a woman’s menstrual cycle.

Both inositols must be used together in a 40:1 Myo-inositol and D-chiro-inositol to fight insulin resistance PCOS, respectively. This ratio is backed by science, with many different studies coming to the same conclusion (1, 2).

Elan Healthcare’s Ovofolic Inositol Powder follows the 40:1 ratio and is successful in helping women combat insulin resistance, resulting in improved fertility and overall healthy bodies.

MedFertil

In addition to inositol supplements, there are a couple of other ingredients that also prove to be beneficial in fighting insulin resistance:

The first one is resveratrol. Resveratrol is a stilbenoid produced by different varieties of plants. When the plant is under attack, either physically or by a toxin, it makes resveratrol. Studies have shown that resveratrol can help humans reverse their insulin resistance. It does this by helping to deliver glucose to the body’s muscles.

Another ingredient that acts as an insulin resistance PCOS treatment is magnesium. Studies have found that insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome correlate with the body’s available magnesium. The study concluded that an oral magnesium supplement lowered insulin sensitivity and improved fasting plasma glucose levels.

Elan Healthcare’s MedFertil for Women tablets have both of these ingredients. The MedFertil supplement is a woman’s once a day prenatal vitamin that:

Improves female fertility
Reduces the odds of fetal neural tube defects
Protects cells from toxins and bacterias
Improves insulin resistance PCOS symptoms

For fertility products, resources and information explore our website or get in touch! We are happy to help you determine which product might be best for you and your journey with infertility.

References:

1 - Insulin Resistance. Web MD. Medically reviewed by Dansinger M, MD. Published June 23, 2021.

2 - Cushing's Syndrome. National Institutes of Health. Page last reviewed May 2018.

3 - National Institutes of Health. Medically reviewed by Basina M, M.D and written by Roland J. Page updated October 2021.

4 - Acanthosis nigricans. By Mayo Clinic Staff. Published June 2020.

5 - Combining treatment with myo-inositol and D-chiro-inositol (40:1) is effective in restoring ovary function and metabolic balance in PCOS patients. By Monastra G, Unfer V, Harrath AH, Bizzarri M. Published November 2016.

6 - The Combined therapy myo-inositol plus D-Chiro-inositol, in a physiological ratio, reduces the cardiovascular risk by improving the lipid profile in PCOS patients. By Minozzi M, Nordio M, Pajalich R. Published February 2012.

7 - Resveratrol. By Higdon J, Ph.D., reviewed by Espín JC, Ph.D. Page last updated June 2015.

8 - Resveratrol Counteracts Insulin Resistance—Potential Role of the Circulation. By Wong, R., & Howe, P. Published August 2018.

9 - Oral magnesium supplementation reduces insulin resistance in non-diabetic subjects - a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized trial. Mooren FC, Krüger K, Völker K, Golf SW, Wadepuhl M, Kraus A. Published March 2011.