Inner hormone

PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome) is a common hormonal condition in women. Many women don’t immediately realize they have PCOS, as the symptoms can be spread out and vary from person to person. In this article, you’ll learn about the most common PCOS symptoms, why they occur, and what happens in your body.

What is PCOS?

Lets get into the topic. PCOS is a hormonal imbalance that affects the ovaries, hormones, and metabolism. It can cause irregular periods, hormonal acne, excess hair growth, and other physical symptoms. With PCOS, ovulation often doesn’t occur properly, and other hormones, such as androgens, insulin, and cortisol, become imbalanced.

The Most Common PCOS Symptoms:

1. Missed or Delayed Periods

Overall, this is the first sign that woman notice something is off. This is because in PCOS, hormones are out of balance. The ratio of LH to FSH, which is needed to trigger ovulation, becomes disrupted. As a result, ovulation either doesn’t happen or is irregular, causing periods to be delayed or missed.

2. Acne

As a result of increased androgens, the oil glands in your skin produce more sebum, leading to hormonal acne, often around the jawline, chin, and neck. This symptom is frustrating because it is visible, which can make women feel insecure.

3. Excess Hair Growth

Also, the elevated androgens cause excessive hair growth in areas where women normally have little hair, such as the face, abdomen, or chest.

4. Sweet or Salty Cravings

In addition, PCOS is often associated with insulin resistance, which can lead to blood sugar fluctuations and strong cravings for sweet or salty foods that are difficult to control, such as reaching for chocolate or chips between meals.

5. Belly Fat (PCOS Belly)

Owing to a disrupted insulin balance and elevated cortisol, it becomes easier for fat to accumulate around the abdomen, even with a healthy diet. This is why most women with PCOS are having what’s called a PCOS belly. This is when the next symptom steps in.

6. Difficulty Losing Weight

Not only does PCOS cause fat to accumulate around the abdomen, but it also makes this fat difficult to lose due to the increased insulin and cortisol. As you can see, these imbalances result in many symptoms, but we have one more to discuss.

7. Brain Fog

The last symptom we discuss is ‘brain fog’. Brain fog can feel like mental tiredness, difficulty concentrating, forgetfulness, and a lack of clear thinking. It is commonly reported in people with PCOS and can affect daily functioning, work, or studies. Brain fog in PCOS is likely caused by hormonal imbalances, insulin resistance, inflammation, and blood sugar fluctuations, which can all reduce the brain’s ability to function optimally.

Conclusion

PCOS is more than just a menstrual problem; it affects your whole body. By understanding why certain symptoms occur, you can take more targeted steps to support your hormonal balance and overall health. Fortunately, there are also natural solutions and lifestyle strategies that can help, which I will explore further in my upcoming blogs. Each symptom will get its own in-depth article so you will understand the symptom even more.