How Insulin Resistance and Obesity are the Causes of PCOS

PCOD
Shruti Aggarwal
April 30, 2021
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How Insulin Resistance and Obesity are the Causes of PCOS:

Causes of PCOS also includes ‘Insulin resistance’ & ‘Obesity’. These two are quite dependent on each other. These two always go simultaneously and also causes a lot of health problems.

Insulin Resistance:

Many factors are responsible for PCOD. But one of the major causes is high levels of androgen. Insulin resistance plays an important role in boosting up the levels of androgen in female body. Hence, it is one of the major causes for polycystic ovarian syndrome. Most of the women suffering from PCOD face high insulin.

What is ‘Insulin Resistance’:

Insulin is a hormone which regulates sugar levels in body.
Sugar is a primary source for body’s energy.
‘Insulin Resistance’ means that body is unable to send enough glucose to the cells. Hence, due to less glucose supply, pancreas starts to produce more insulin to maintain levels of glucose.
Excess insulin results in its resistance and decreases ability to use insulin effectively.
Body secrets more insulin to make glucose available to cells. Excess insulin may have negative effects on body.
This extra insulin disturbs ovaries system. Surfeit insulin is directly proportional to high androgen levels
Thus, high androgen levels effects ovulation and results in PCOD.
This ends up in never ending cycle. Excess insulin ends up in high generating high male hormones, then it causes ovarian disturbance. And in last PCOD occurs and so on.
Therefore, we can say insulin resistance is one of the root causes for PCOS.

How Obesity is one of the causes of PCOS:

There is a deep connection between PCOD and obesity. Obesity is often seen as one of the major and root causes of PCOD. ‘People often ask which comes first obesity or PCOS’. However, this is a very complex question to answer.

Some girls have high BMI in childhood which increases their risk of PCOD. ‘PCOD is directly proportional to obesity’. As PCOD increases obesity increases and vice-versa.
Obesity and PCOD go hand in hand, if a woman is obese then she is on a high risk of PCOS. And if a woman is having PCOD she’s on the verge of obesity.
Weight gain is just like buy one get one free, if a woman is PCOD positive then weight gain is red flag for her.
Hence, they are dependent on each other. If a woman is having PCOD, she must be careful & conscious regarding her weight. Since, childhood girls should maintain their weight as it plays a vital role in creating ovaries problem in women.

How Insulin Resistance and Obesity are corelated to each other?

Insulin resistance & obesity are related to each other in many ways;

Among all the causes of PCOS, insulin resistance is one of the major reason why PCOS positive women tend to gain weight easily.
When insulin can’t maintain glucose levels effectively, glucose level starts rising in cells. High glucose level tends to increase body mass, which ultimately causes obesity.
Resistance increases levels of androgen due to which weight gain is mostly in abdomen area in females having PCOD. Male hormones promote male pattern of abdominal fat distribution.
Abdominal fat is said to be the most dangerous fat as it gives rise to many heart problem & diabetes as well.
Thereafter, obesity and insulin resistance together cause PCOD.
Similarly, because of obesity woman gets on high risk of PCOS. Due to PCOS, androgen level starts increasing which directly effects ovaries. Which ultimately effects insulin and body becomes incapable of using glucose levels properly. Because of this pancreas starts producing more insulin and causes its resistance finally.
Thus, obesity and insulin resistance come together and finally causes PCOD.
This is how insulin resistance and weight gain are related to each other.
No doubt, slim girls can also have PCOD, it can be because of genetics, unhealthy lifestyle and many more reasons. But nowadays, most of the women having PCOD is because of obesity.

Conclusion:

If we see there are many factors which are the causes of PCOS. Out of them insulin resistance and obesity are most commonly seen in polycystic ovarian syndrome patients. Because of unhealthy lifestyle, more mental work instead of physical work, sedentary lifestyle girls become obese in young age. PCOD is like termite which occurs slowly but it lasts long and it becomes very tough to cure this problem. Insulin resistance and weight gain also causes diabetes and many more health issues. So, it is quite compulsory for women to take care of them properly to avoid PCOS. Must be in proper weight, time to time physical work, yoga, healthy eating, proper diet is quite important for such patients.