Eat to support PCOS

One-in-10 women is thought to have polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). This PCOS Awareness Month, we ask the experts how diet can help

- Sarah Sellens

You might have been diagnosed with PCOS, be wondering if you're a sufferer or have heard of it and want to know what it is.

PCOS is a very common hormonal and metabolic condition - although around one-in-10 women are affected by it, up to 70 per cent of cases go undiagnosed. 'It's a hormonal condition where androgens such as testosterone can be higher than normal,' explains Dr Amina Hersi.

The exact reason for PCOS is unknown but there are likely causes. 'Genetics plays a role - if your mum has PCOS, your chances could be around 50 per cent,' says Dr Hersi. 'Things like diet, movement, stress levels, sleep and even possibly early life experiences (such as childhood trauma) all play a part in how PCOS shows up. And another piece of the puzzle is inflammation - in PCOS it can be constantly switched on, and low but long-term inflammation may worsen symptoms as it can increase testosterone.'

These off-balance hormones can lead to a range of symptoms. 'Typical ones are excess face and body hair (known as hirsutism), acne often on the face, neck, back and shoulders, hair loss and thinning, irregular and anovulatory [when an egg doesn't release] cycles leading to fertility issues and weight gain or difficulty losing weight,' says expert Lauren Johnson Reynolds, who was diagnosed with PCOS aged 14. 'Lesser-known conditions associated with PCOS include anxiety and depression, type 2 diabetes, and fatty liver disease, as well as cardiovascular disease, body dysmorphia and disordered eating.'

WHAT TO EAT