11 Effective Herbal Remedies For Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

Many women suffer from PCOS regardless of their race and geographical region. Besides the prevalence of PCOS, it is very unlucky that no permanent solution exists for PCOS. But, a lifestyle change, intake of supplements or herbal remedies, and healthy dietary adaptation can help you recover the symptoms of PCOS. Let’s explore more about PCOS and its herbal remedies.

What Do You Mean By Polycystic Ovary Syndrome?

Polycystic ovarian syndrome is a female reproductive system that produces multiple cysts in the ovaries. It involves the growth of follicles of immature or undeveloped eggs around the edge of ovaries. There occurs enormous sex hormonal fluctuation in the female body. Androgen and estrogen are released in excess amounts during this condition. It is more common for women suffering from PCOS to experience irregular periods that occur less often or more frequently.

Symptoms Of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome.

Females suffering from PCOS usually experience the following symptoms:

• Imbalance hormonal release
• Weight gain
• Irregular menstrual cycle
• Increased insulin resistance
• Infertility
• Irregular ovulation
• Excess release of oil on the skin
• Excess hair growth

Women with PCOS experience irregular periods within two to three months, like a single menstrual cycle. PCOS causes bleeding during menstruation which is also abnormal; either you experience heavy or scanty blood flow. Excess androgen release during PCOS causes a condition known as hirsutism, resulting in excess hair growth on different body parts.

Causes Of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

Causes Of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

Hormonal fluctuation is the major cause of polycystic ovary syndrome. These hormonal changes can occur due to any random reason. Let’s have a look at what becomes the main reason for PCOS among females.

Insulin resistance

Insulin resistance involves a condition in which cells become resistant to insulin. Insulin is a hormone released from the pancreas responsible for breaking down glucose in the blood. When a cell becomes resistant, sugar or glucose becomes unable to break, resulting in increased blood sugar levels. When the glucose level rises, insulin is released in excess amounts. The high amount of insulin causes more androgen release in the female body. Increased androgen leads to the development of multiple PCOS symptoms.
Dark patches usually occur on the skin of the lower part of the neck, under the breast, armpits, and groins. Increased appetite, fat accumulation, obesity, cardiovascular diseases, and diabetes occur during insulin resistance.

Inflammation

There is always an associated question with PCOS, is PCOS an autoimmune disease? Yes, PCOS can be due to an autoimmune disease that normally causes inflammation in the body. Women suffering from low-grade inflammation result in excess androgen release, leading to cyst formation in the ovaries. White blood cells are usually involved in inflammatory processes. When inflammation proceeds for longer, there are increased chances of polycystic ovary syndrome.

Genetics

Hereditary disorders or genetics can also be a reason for polycystic ovary syndrome. If someone in the ancestor is suffering from PCOS in the family, there are chances that you may also suffer from the development of multiple cysts in the ovaries.
Besides these causes, there are also many myths associated with PCOS. You may also hear the queries like does masturbation cause PCOS, or can miscarriage cause PCOS? But these medical conditions, including masturbation and miscarriage, can never lead to PCOS. Although, Pcos can be the reason for increasing the risk factor of miscarriage and increasing the need for masturbation.

Herbal Remedies For Polycystic Ovary Syndrome or PCOS

Herbal Remedies For Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

Women suffering from PCOS often ask, how to cure PCOS naturally. Let’s look at the effective herbal remedies for treating polycystic ovary syndrome.

Licorice

Licorice is the common name for glycyrrhiza glabra, a flowering plant belonging to the beans family. Its roots are particularly for extracting medicinal compounds, which are then used to treat several health ailments.
Besides other health remedies, licorice is an effective herbal remedy for treating polycystic ovary syndrome or PCOS. Women using this remedy have found considerable recovery from the symptoms of PCOS. Let’s have a look at how licorice is effective for treating PCOS.

• Licorice helps remove ovary cysts by causing specific stimuli in the body. Another ailment that women have to face during PCOS is an irregular menstrual cycle.
• Licorice helps regulate the menstrual cycle by promoting the release of egg follicles within a constant duration.
• Hirsutism is when excessive hair grows on a female’s face, chest, back, and some other body parts of a female. Excess hair growth is due to more release of testosterone in the female body. Licorice, by reducing this testosterone level, helps in the prevention of excessive hair growth.
• The disturbed metabolism due to PCOS often leads to anxiety and depression among females. Licorice has anti-depressive effects, which help in reducing anxiety. When recovering from PCOS, licorice helps manage the body’s metabolism.

However, it is not advised for pregnant and breastfeeding women to take licorice. Taking licorice for long-term uses is also prohibited. In these cases, there are specific side effects associated with licorice. Reduced potassium levels, increased blood pressure, high osmotic pressure, gastric ailment, headache, and disturbed menstrual cycle can occur.

Cinnamon

Cinnamon is a spice prepared from a tree’s bark with the genus Cinnamomum. It helps in regulating the estrogen level in the body. Maintaining estrogen promotes the healthy regulation of the menstrual cycle. Cinnamon is mostly used for treating insulin resistance and preventing insulin resistance.
Women suffering from PCOS are more likely to suffer from insulin resistance. Cinnamon is very effective in treating this insulin resistance. If you are suffering from diabetes and PCOS, taking 3 teaspoons of cinnamon powder for at least 4 to 5 months is recommended. Intake of cinnamon without diabetes during PCOS help in the prevention of diabetes. Further, cinnamon relieves lower abdominal pain during menses, endometriosis, and infertility among females.

Vitex Berry

Vitex berry, from the genus sage family, is a herbal remedy for curing women’s reproductive disorders, including PCOS. It heals in curing the symptoms of PCOS by regulating female sex hormones. It increases progesterone levels and decreases estrogen levels and androgen levels. Luteinizing hormone is also regulated by vitex berry intake, which helps regulate the menstruation cycle.
It also boosts neurotransmitter production, including dopamine and melatonin. Dopamine and melatonin production is responsible for promoting positive vibes in a female. All these changes in hormones and neurotransmitters are due to vitex berry treatment PCOS.
The symptoms associated with PCOS include headache, menstrual cramps, short-tempered nature, breast tenderness, and a disturbed menstrual cycle. Vitex berry intake is effective in treating all of these symptoms. Vitex berries also regulate the menstrual cycle by inducing ovulation, removing ovary cysts, and dissolving formed fibroids. Females suffering from acne due to PCOS can also get relieved by vitex berry.
You have to consume vitex berries for some months to get effective recovery. Different dosage forms, including capsules or tinctures, are available in the market. You can also consume vitex berries in form of herbal tea.
But there are also some conditions in which taking vitex berry for PCOS is inhibited. When taking contraceptive pills, having infertility treatment, going through breastfeeding and pregnancy, consuming antipsychotic medications, and dopamine-inducing or inhibiting drugs, you should avoid vitex berry.

Flaxseed

Flaxseed, also known as linseed, comes from a flowering plant having a family named Linaceae. It helps in curing the symptoms of PCOS by decreasing testosterone levels. It also increases the metabolism of estrogen levels and the release of this hormone from the body. Reduced estrogen level in the body helps maintain the regulated menstrual cycle.
However, there are some precautions that one must keep in consideration before taking flaxseed. The high fiber content of flaxseed is very high, so taking a large amount of water is recommended. Flaxseed can also interfere with the absorption of other drugs, either herbal medications or synthetic ones.

Shatavari

Shatavari, also known as Asparagus racemosus, is an effective herbal remedy for relieving stress. Some unique substances, including phytoestrogens or steroidal compounds, help regulate the female sex hormone and maintain the menstrual cycle. These compounds help relieve the symptoms of PCOS, such as infertility and menopause by boosting regular ovulation.

White Peony

White Peony is a flowering plant used as an effective herbal remedy for treating many health ailments, such as anxiety, depression, body ache, inflammation, and skin diseases. Besides these diseases, white peony is also considered helpful for curing PCOS symptoms.
More particularly, the effect of white peony in increasing blood flow improves pelvic health by boosting its blood supply. The increased pelvic blood flow helps in recovering PCOS symptoms such as endometriosis. By lowering the testosterone level, white peony provides another remarkable benefit for treating PCOS.

Blue Cohosh Root

Blue cohosh, also known as Caulophyllum thalictroidesis is a flowering plant belonging to the barberry family. Its roots are used traditionally for curing various health ailments. Remember, black cohosh and blue cohosh are not the same. Although both herbs effectively cure different female reproductive disorders, blue cohosh is preferable for treating PCOS symptoms.
This herbal remedy is considered very effective for alleviating uterine and ovarian pain. It also helps in maintaining a regular menstrual cycle. With these analgesic and hormone-regulating properties, blue cohosh can help a woman cure PCOS symptoms such as menstrual cramps, irregular menses, and lower abdominal pain. However, you should avoid taking blue cohosh if pregnant, breastfeeding, or suffering from hypertension and cardiovascular disorders.

Black Cumin Seed

Black cumin seeds come from two quite different plants, Bunium bulbocastanum, and Nigella sativa, both used as spices. It helps treat acute to chronic health diseases because of its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.
Black cumin can relieve many symptoms of PCOS, such as insulin resistance, gas, headache, and different metabolic disorders. Women suffering from insulin resistance due to PCOS are at risk of getting diabetes. Black cumin protects women from this type of condition by preventing the cells from being insulin resistant.

Red Clover

Red clover is a flowering plant belonging to the bean family and is used for treating female reproductive disorders. The phytoestrogen compounds in red clover help regulate the estrogen level in the female body. Besides maintaining the level of sex hormones, red clover helps boost blood flow. This herbal remedy also has cleansing properties, which also relieve PCOS symptoms.
Different dosages of red clover available in the market include capsules, tea, and tincture. The certain conditions where red clover is not allowed to be intake involve pregnancy, breastfeeding, and hemophilia.

Neem and Ginger

Taking neem with ginger is an effective remedy for curing PCOS remedies. This combination reduces the androgen level, prevents blood clotting, and boosts blood circulation in the body. All these herbal abilities help in recovering PCOS. This combination also prevents PCOS women from diabetes by preventing insulin insensitivity. It also helps in the removal of ovarian cysts.
Besides the effectiveness of these herbal remedies, females asking about how to prevent miscarriage during early pregnancy with PCOS may not receive satisfactory answers. It is because it is very difficult to prevent miscarriage with PCOS. You have to follow all the instructions your doctor offers to carry out a healthy pregnancy.

Best PCOS Snacks

The healthy snacks for PCOS involve celery, peanut butter, hard noil eggs, whole grain cracker, plain oatmeals, nuts, dark chocolate, dried fruits, pomegranate seeds, and slices of tuna.

Conventional Treatment For Polycystic Ovary Syndrome or PCOS

Conventional Treatment For Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

Conventional treatments for PCOS normally used for recovery are discussed below:

Medications

Different medications in treating polycystic ovary syndrome involve combining different birth control pills. Women taking birth control pills often ask, can birth control pills cause PCOS? Always remember birth control pills are not associated with the development of PCOS.
Pills containing estrogen and progestin are effective for treating PCOS. These pills are involved in the reduction of androgen levels in the female body. Controlled androgen prevents excessive hair growth, irregular bleeding, acne, and endometrial cancer.

Progestin Therapy

Progestin therapy is an effective therapy for treating PCOS.  It helps alleviate the symptoms of PCOS, such as irregular menses, and reduces the risk factors of endometriosis. A progestin-only pill or an intrauterine device containing progestin will help you avoid pregnancy.

Anti-hair Growth And Anti-acne Medications

Certain medications, including birth control pills, spironolactone, and eflornithine, are effective for controlling hair growth and acne due to PCOS. For efficient hair removal, electrolysis and laser can be the best options.

Similarly, for acne, you can use different prescribed medicines, including creams, gels, and pills.

Conclusion

PCOS cannot be treated permanently. However, many herbal remedies, including licorice, cinnamon, red clover, flaxseed, blue cohosh root, Shatavari, white peony, vitex berry cumin seeds, and neem plus ginger, can efficiently alleviate the symptoms of PCOS. You can treat symptoms using herbal remedies, including irregular menstrual cycles, ovarian cyst removal, disturbed androgen and estrogen levels, and insulin resistance.