Exercise
Helps PCOS Sufferers

Diet & Exercise, What the Doctors Recommend

It is a well
documented fact that weight loss is a vital component in health and wellbeing and serves as
a healing factor in many diseases.  For
women with polycystic ovary syndrome, exercise has been the major recommendation given by doctors for symtom relief.  Positive results have been
obtained through lifestyle changes such as reducing stress, diet and exercise
and the support of others in a group setting. 

One of the
prevalent accompanying diseases found in women with PCOS is diabetes, especially type 2 diabetes.   It is
encouraging to know that associated with a decrease of only 5% of a woman’s
total body weight there is a decrease in insulin levels which helps to make diabetes much
more controllable.  Another benefit is a
lowering of incidences of heart disease. 
Since both diabetes and heart disease are linked to unhealthy weight,
which is one of the many symptoms of PCOS, women can lower their risk in these
areas with healthy diet and exercise.

Insulin Sensitivity

In the US
alone, between six and 10 percent of women of childbearing age are affected
with PCOS and these women often have chronic weight issues.  Research done at Duke University Medical Center
has indicated that moderate exercise can improve insulin sensitivity in women
with PCOS.  Important health benefits are
experienced through exercise whether there is weight loss or not.  Ann J. Brown, lead author of the study at
Duke University said, “Anything that improves insulin sensitivity and decreases
insulin resistance is going to help prevent diabetes in the long run.”

For the
Duke study, women were chosen from diverse ethnic groups, aged
between 22 and 41 years, and all were insulin resistant.  The 19 women were assigned at random to
either a control group in which their sedentary lifestyle continued, or a
monitored exercise group.  The exercise
program, moderate in intensity, was the equivalent of a four day a week, one
hour per day, walking program.  The women
had to maintain their diet patterns and were instructed not to lose weight
while the study was conducted in order to ensure focus on the role of exercise
as it relates to insulin resistance.

A significant,
albeit small, improvement in insulin resistance was noted in the exercise group
with improvement registered by up to 25 percent, dependent upon test type.

Women with
PCOS can enjoy a better quality of life by managing their diet and by including
exercise as a part of their regular routine.