HIGHLIGHTING WOMEN'S HEALTH

September is PCOS awareness month so we take a closer look at the complex condition that affects around one in 10 women in the UK

- AMY JONES

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is a common yet complex condition that affects hormone levels and how a woman's ovaries work. According to the NHS, it affects around one in every 10 women in the UK, but more than half do not experience any symptoms.

PCOS causes a "constellation of physical and mental health symptoms", explains women's health expert Dr Shirin Lakhani (drshirinlakhani.co.uk). "It causes the ovaries to produce an abnormal amount of androgens, male sex hormones that are usually present in women in only small amounts. This hormone imbalance causes their body to skip menstrual periods and makes it harder for them to get pregnant." Symptoms of PCOS usually occur in the late teens or early twenties, with many women being diagnosed during their twenties and thirties. These symptoms vary from mild to severe, with some causing "anxiety and distress", says Dr Shirin. Sometimes symptoms can be missed as they're not always easy to spot.

As PCOS is linked to unusual hormone levels in the body, women with the condition can often experience insulin resistance, Dr Shirin says. "This is because their bodies make insulin (a key hormone in balancing blood sugar), but they can't use it effectively.

It's thought that up to 70% of women with PCOS have insulin resistance. If someone's insulin levels are high, it is harder for them to lose weight and therefore can increase the likelihood of certain health conditions such as type 2 diabetes." Dr Shirin advises that increasing insulin sensitivity can help. "Women can reduce their insulin resistance - this relates to how responsive their cells are to insulin - and in turn can modify how insulin affects their PCOS symptoms." Here we take a more detailed look at PCOS.

1 SYMPTOMS