Herbal Remedies for Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome

Polycystic ovarian syndrome is a condition that affects a woman's menstrual cycle and cause the inability to have children. Women whom are diagnosed with PCOS have high levels of androgens which are male hormones. Women have irregular periods or no periods at all but most importantly women with polycystic ovarian syndrome develop cysts on one or both ovaries.

Causes and Symptoms

There are a number of causes that lead to a woman developing polycystic ovarian syndrome. One of the main causes is hereditary. Women diagnosed with this syndrome tend to have a mother or sister who was diagnosed with the same condition. Insulin plays another factor in causing PCOS. Insulin is a type of hormone in the body produced to help control the use of sugar and starches. Some women have a hard time using insulin creating an overproduction of insulin within the body. Excess insulin can increase the production of androgens.

Women diagnosed with polycystic ovarian syndrome experience a number of symptoms. One major symptom of PCOS is irregular or no menstrual periods. Ovulation is also a problem and many women do not ovulate who have polycystic ovarian syndrome. This can often lead to infertility issues. Excessive hair growth is another symptom. Excessive hair tends to grow on the face, chest, stomach, thumbs and toes and often becomes an embarrassing problem for some women. Other symptoms of PCOS are ovarian cysts', high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and thinning hair.

Herbal Treatments

Birth control pills are often used to control and treat the symptoms of PCOS but often cause a number of negative side effects such as headaches, weight gain, and blood clots. There are natural herbal alternatives that can be used to treat polycystic ovarian syndrome. Evening Primrose is an herb used to treat irregular menstrual cycles, skin problems, high blood pressure, and cholesterol. Chasteberry is an herb commonly used to treat PCOS because it affects the pituitary gland. The pituitary gland produces hormones and hormones are the root of the problem for women with PCOS especially when weight gain and overgrowth of hair occurs. Chasteberry helps keep the pituitary gland in check lessening the chance of weight gain and excessive hair growth. Another great herb to take is Saw Palmetto which is known as an anti-androgen and will fight a number of symptoms and side effects associated with polycystic ovarian syndrome.

Before beginning any treatment for PCOS, it is important to discuss treatment with your doctor to see what treatment is right for you.