Why is weight loss difficult in PCOS Treatment?

Neha was highly depressed and stressed. She had been undergoing PCOS treatment since three years now. Though she was not so low because of irregular periods (the later the better, she thought) but the weight gain made her conscious. It made her feel uncomfortable attending social meetings and gatherings. She worked hard, but her constant unexplained weight gain made her life difficult.

It has been primarily seen that PCOS is associated with weight gain. It has always been difficult for patients undergoing PCOS treatment to shed a few kilos. Here’s why:

1. Insulin can be a culprit:

Commonly it has been seen that women suffering from PCOS have insulin resistance, which leads to storage of excess of fat and abnormal cravings and hunger. This can be seen in females with excess bulging fat near there waist line (colloquially called “the spare tyre”). This is the obstinate fat deposited in the body which is difficult to reduce.

2. Irregular diet:

Irregular diet with lots of carbohydrates and compound sugars can be a troublesome factor that will prevent you from losing weight. People are so busy with their sedentary lifestyle that irregular food habits have become a part of their lifestyle and it becomes difficult to follow a healthy diet. Lack of fibers and vitamins in the body can have a significant impact on the body. Glycemic index is a measure of how quickly the food is converted to glucose. Foods with low glycemic index have been found beneficial in losing weight in women having insulin resistance.

Diet should include whole wheat bread, oatmeal bran, muesli, barley Instead of high starchy food like potatoes, foods like sweet potato, corn, peas and lentils should be added in diet as they are rich in carbohydrates and fibre.

3. Sleep disturbances:

Excess of body weight can also lead to sleep disturbances like sleep apnea, which is caused mainly due to blockage of upper respiratory tract. This leads to lack of oxygen, which causes disturbed, unrefreshed sleep and day time sleepiness. Sleep apnea has a direct effect on increase in weight and high blood pressure.

High levels of androgens are usually observed in women with PCOS, which affects the sleep receptors. So it is advisable for females to get screened for PCOS if any sleep disturbances are hampering them.

4. “Stress, the silent killer”:

Our body releases the stress hormone called cortisol. This stress hormone increases the tendency to store fat and degrade muscles. So surrounding yourself with positive energy and optimistic people can be of great help in reducing the stress levels.

5. Not hydrating yourself enough:

Dehydrating your body means that your kidneys and liver have to work more. Liver is responsible for fat metabolism, so when liver has to work more, it is burdened then the fat metabolism gets hampered, which can be one of the important reasons for hard loss of weight. That is why one should drink sufficient amount of water.

SUMMING IT UP:

Thus, unexplained weight gain can be common in PCOS. The main reasons are:

Developing resistance to insulin
Not eating, drinking and sleeping well
Staying stressed

If you too are suffering from PCOS and are struggling with the unexplained weight gain, do consider re-looking at your diet and lifestyle. If you found this article useful, do let us know by your comments below. If you are considering homeopathy for your PCOS treatment, do get in touch with us at +91-22-66888888 or write to us at info@lifeforce.in. Dr Rajesh Shah’s research based homeopathic medicines for PCOS have helped many patients at LifeForce Homeopathy.