Eat To Beat PCOS | Dr. Mark Hyman

Symptoms

PCOS, or polycystic ovarian syndrome, impacts 5 to 10 percent of women, manifesting in symptoms like irregular periods, acne, and unwanted hair growth. Dr. Elizabeth Boham explains that the condition involves a hormonal imbalance, leading to high levels of male hormones such as DHEA and testosterone. This imbalance causes hair growth in unwanted areas and hair loss where women typically want it, along with severe acne and weight gain around the belly due to insulin resistance 1 2.

PCOS is a syndrome that involves irregular periods or not having any periods, and androgen excess or changes in your hormone balance.

--- Dr. Elizabeth Boham

Dr. Mark Hyman emphasizes that traditional medicine often misinterprets PCOS as a purely gynecological issue, whereas it is deeply connected to diet and lifestyle factors 1.

   

Misconceptions

A common misconception about PCOS is that it is solely a gynecological issue. Dr. Hyman and Dr. Boham clarify that PCOS is often driven by dietary and lifestyle factors, not just hormonal imbalances. Traditional treatments like birth control pills and diabetes medications address symptoms but fail to tackle root causes 2 3.

Traditional medicine treats the symptoms symptomatically, but it really doesn't speak to addressing the root causes.

--- Dr. Mark Hyman

Functional Medicine, however, takes a holistic approach, examining factors like gut health, toxin levels, and insulin resistance to provide a more comprehensive treatment plan 4.