{"id":5730,"date":"2019-09-05T09:00:28","date_gmt":"2019-09-05T13:00:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/?p=5730"},"modified":"2025-04-08T13:28:00","modified_gmt":"2025-04-08T17:28:00","slug":"metformin-for-pcos","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/metformin-for-pcos\/","title":{"rendered":"How the diabetic drug Metformin can be used to treat PCOS"},"content":{"rendered":"

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), also known as polycystic ovarian syndrome, is a <\/span>hormonal disorder<\/span><\/a> that affects <\/span>an estimated 5-6 million <\/span><\/a>women in the United States. The symptoms of PCOS vary person-to-person, which can make it challenging to identify. Many women suffer in silence, living undiagnosed for years.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Non-profit organizations throughout the U.S. work to spread awareness about symptoms and information about available treatment options\u2014from birth control to metformin. But it remains \u201cone of the most critical, underserved, under-diagnosed and under-funded conditions affecting women’s health,\u201d <\/span>says<\/span><\/a> Sasha Ottey, executive director of the non-profit PCOS Challenge Inc.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Why do some women get PCOS, and how does it affect them?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Felice Gersh<\/span><\/a>, MD, an award-winning OB-GYN, says PCOS is \u201cthe most common endocrine disorder of reproductive aged women\u2014but it involves every aspect of a woman\u2019s body. It affects all metabolic functions as well as all aspects of the menstrual cycle and fertility.\u201d <\/span>Common symptoms<\/span><\/a> and diagnostic criteria may include: no period, an irregular period, or a heavy period; pelvic pain; extra hair growth on your face, known as \u201chirsutism\u201d; acne; excess weight gain or challenges with losing body weight; and patches of dark thick skin. <\/span>According to <\/span>EndrocrineWeb<\/span><\/a>, women with PCOS may have 25 or more cysts, or fluid-filled follicles, on a single ovary. Follicles typically burst during ovulation when they release an egg. But with PCOS, this often does not happen\u2013each small follicle fills up with fluid, creating a cyst insead. People with PCOS may not have regular periods and may experience poor success rates at getting pregnant.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

There are a <\/span>variety of reasons<\/span><\/a> why young women of reproductive age might develop PCOS, but research shows that genetics, insulin resistance, glucose intolerance, and androgen excess (also known as male hormones) all can put you at risk.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

PCOS impacts women from a diverse range of backgrounds. \u201cWomen of all races and ethnicities are at risk of PCOS,\u201d says <\/span>Kate Killoran<\/span><\/a>, MD, OB-GYN in Maine. But obese women and women with a family history are at increased risk of developing the disorder.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

According to the American Cancer Society<\/span><\/a>, PCOS puts women at higher risk of endometrial cancer. A <\/span>2016 literature review<\/span><\/a> found that multiple studies reported a link between PCOS and endometrial cancer, but the authors did not take BMI into account, and a high BMI is an established risk factor for endometrial cancer. A <\/span>recent systematic review <\/span><\/a>found no correlation between PCOS and endometrial cancer in women of European or Asian ancestry. The bottom line? Definitive evidence is lacking.<\/span><\/p>\n

What are PCOS treatments?<\/span><\/h2>\n

While there is no cure for PCOS, there are ways to manage symptoms and long-term health outcomes. Each patient\u2019s treatment plan will be a little different, based on their specific set of symptoms.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Dr. Killoran says that there are a few medications that may be prescribed for PCOS patients, depending on how the condition affects them. This is not a complete list, but it includes:<\/span><\/p>\n