Introduction
PCOS is a hormonal imbalance condition where women are affected in many ways. It not only affects the fertility and ovulation process, but she can have many other health issues like weight gain, excess hair growth all over the body, acne, and diabetes.
Managing PCOS at the earliest is essential as one can have more complicated issues in life. Many people wonder whether it has dire consequences only on fertility, but PCOS and diabetes are strongly interlinked.
The Connection between PCOS and Diabetes
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome is linked with high insulin resistance. When a female body cannot utilize insulin adequately, she is likely to develop this condition where the body cannot produce eggs each month.
Sometimes genes have a role to play; even with the proper diet and lifestyle, this condition exists. But women who are overweight, have a sedentary lifestyle and have poor eating habits tend to get this condition.
Pancreas is responsible for secreting the insulin hormone and controlling blood sugar levels. But when a woman takes a high-carb diet, the pancreas gets extra pressure and fails to produce insulin.
The body produces insulin in response to the glucose women consume. So, PCOS and blood sugar levels are interlinked. Over time, it fails to make insulin, leading to Type 2 diabetes. So, it is crucial to get the health scrutinized, especially when the periods tell something wrong with the body.
What are the warning signs of PCOS and diabetes?
Irregular periods are one of the signs of PCOS. But at the initial stages of life, women may not develop diabetes. As the age progresses, the symptoms will change, and many females get many other symptoms. One needs to be aware of these symptoms:
- Blurry vision – Diabetes impacts many body parts, the eyes being one of them. The vision changes, especially the blurry ones, are signs of diabetes.
- Increased thirst – People tend to feel thirst even after drinking enough water. The urge to drink more and more water could be a red signal.
- Increased hunger – The same thing applies to hunger parameters. If females constantly crave food, especially sugary items, and junk food, they do not ignore this symptom.
- Frequent urination – Attending the call of nature at short intervals, particularly at night time, is a sign of a problem.
- Numbness in hands and feet – Diabetes causes numbness in hands and feet. Though there may be other factors, the combination of symptoms mentioned above tells women to visit the doctor.
What risk factors increase the chances of diabetes in the case of PCOS?
PCOS signals insulin resistance, but several other factors increase the chances of diabetes:
- Being overweight – Many females are advised to maintain a healthy weight in PCOS. Being overweight invites many other problems like diabetes, heart problems, and elevated blood pressure.
- Drug Abuse – A patient with PCOS develops the habit of smoking or consuming large quantities of alcohol. They are knocking on the doors of various other chronic illnesses like diabetes.
- Sedentary lifestyle – Many women love being in rest mode all day. Females who follow a sedentary lifestyle and do not indulge in workouts develop diabetes in their early 40s.
- Stress and anxiety – Stress and anxiety interfere with the normal functioning of hormones. Unusual stress is known to link with irregular periods and fewer secretions of insulins in the body.
Reversing diabetes
Indeed PCOS and diabetes are chronic conditions linked to each other. But is this condition reversible? This condition may follow you your whole life, but with the proper routine and lifestyle, women can manage it and have regular periods.
- Including proteins in the diet – Health is the reflection of diet. The healthier people eat, the more they remain away from illness. Particularly for the PCOS diet, one should include proteins and nuts.
- Avoid junk food – Junk food is a curse in everyone’s life. Eating large quantities of it can increase sugar levels. But staying away from it has miracles on health.
- Exercise – 30 minutes of daily workout can reverse this condition. It also helps in regulating periods and keeping sugar levels in control.
Conclusion
Elevated insulin levels are responsible for PCOS. It is a metabolic disorder where small follicles occur in the ovary leading to irregular periods. Generally, people get into the prediabetic stage, and over a while, they get diabetes.
Increased insulin signifies the diabetic condition. It also interferes with the average production of androgenic hormones that regulate the menstrual cycle. With the proper medication and lifestyle, one can reverse this condition. So, never take irregular periods lightly.
