Diabetes & The Body

PCOS: Association With Diabetes

One of the major causes of infertility among women in the reproductive age category is a disorder known as Polycystic Ovary Disease. Studies have shown that the diseases is mainly associated with other conditions like obesity, hyperinsulinemia, specific hormone imbalance, hirsutism (male hair growth), failure to ovulate, and absence of menstruation. As is already known to the research community, insulin resistance or hyperinsulinemia is linked to abdominal fat, hypertension, and increased cholesterol levels.

A few of the conditions if present in the person, can increase the risk of PCOD. Some of the conditions are discussed in detail below.

Diabetes

Whether you like it or not, over 90% persons with diagnosed diabetes are victims of type2 diabetes otherwise called as adult onset diabetes. Generally most of these persons are overweight, above of 40 years of age and have heredity of Type 2 Diabetes. The usually mode of managing Type 2 Diabetes is controlled diet, pills, or insulin injections. Your risks for Type 2 Diabetes can be reduced with weight reduction and exercise. Type 1 Diabetes occurs in 5-10% of persons with diabetes, occurs earlier in life (less than 30 years), requires insulin injections (or the pump), and is caused by inadequate or no production of insulin by the pancreas. Type 1 Diabetes (in genetically predisposed individuals) may be caused by an autoimmune response when antibodies attack the insulin producing beta cells of the pancreas instead of the intended foreign substance or virus.

High Blood Pressure

Hypertension is high blood pressure. Normal blood pressure is 120/80. High blood pressure is usually defined as 130/85. Many studies have pinpointed this as one of the significant risk factors for polycystic ovary disease. Precisely because of this reason it is important to have this menace of high BP under strict control. It must also be mentioned that blood pressure increases the risk of other diseases like heart attack and cardiovascular complications and even stroke. Hence the significance of keeping blood pressure under control cannot be over stressed.

Insulin Resistance

When foods like sweets, starches, fruits and milk are consumed, the glucose levels in blood rises. This induces the production of insulin, a hormone, by the pancreas. The normal function of insulin is to reduce blood glucose levels to normal by routing the excess glucose to the liver, muscle, and fat cells. In case of over-consumption of carbohydrate foods, blood glucose levels rise and excess insulin is produced.

Insulin resistance means the body has to produce more than the normal levels of insulin to control the glucose levels. Diet control hence forms an important part of diabetes management. The lesser the intake of carbohydrates and sweets, lower would be the levels of glucose in blood and hence lower requirements for insulin. Losing weight, eating low fat foods, and exercising can improve the effectiveness of insulin and reduce insulin blood levels. Excess insulin or insulin resistance is unhealthy for the blood vessels.

Hyperlipidemia / Dyslipidemia

This is a condition characterized by elevated cholesterol, triglyceride, LDL ( “bad” cholesterol), and low HDL (high density lipoprotein or good cholesterol). Recommended blood levels: cholesterol <200, triglyceride <150, LDL <130 or 100 if diabetes, and HDL ³ 35 mg/dL.

Recommendations For Management

The most important suggestion for managing the PCOD is to change your lifestyle. That includes weight management, exercise, and low fat intake with emphasis on monounsaturated fats, and reduced carbohydrate and sodium intake. If these changes do not result in the desired changes, then one will have to go in for medication to suppress the symptoms as well as the underlying causes of the disease.

A modest weight reduction of 5-8 lbs. or 10% of current body weight can give significant improvements in abdominal fat, insulin resistance, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia.

Modest increases in exercise (walking, for example) can improve insulin effectiveness. Walking that extra flight of stairs, parking the car farther from the store, and just being more active can help. Ideally, exercise should be 1/2 hour or so most days, but even 10 minutes could make some difference.

Avoid the high-ticket items such as croissants, biscuits, cream soups, fatty cheeses, fatty meats, large amounts of meats, and fried foods. Choose low fat dairy foods. Limit the total amount of fats added to foods (mayonnaise, gravy, margarine, butter, dressings, etc.). Choosing mono-unsaturated fats (olive, canola, peanut oils) more often may actually reduce your triglycerides, LDL, and increase your HDL.

Excess carbohydrates can increase blood glucose levels and may contribute to excess secretion of insulin and triglycerides. It is a known fact that people over eat without taking into consideration their daily energy needs. The intake should be in accordance with the activity level rather than the desire to eat. The beauty of it lies in managing these conflicting priorities.