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What Causes PCOS

The exact cause of PCOS is unknown. However, a number of factors such as genetics, insulin resistance, and hormonal imbalance contribute to the condition. Let’s go through the factors in a detailed way now!

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a health problem that affects women of reproductive age between 15 to 44 years or older. In this condition, the ovaries produce an egg each month which is released as part of a normal menstrual cycle. PCOS affects this process by interfering with the development of the egg or its release as part of the menstrual cycle. The most common PCOS symptoms include irregular or missed menstrual periods, which in turn lead to infertility in women and the development of cysts in the ovaries.

Causes of PCOS

The exact cause of PCOS is unknown. However, there are a few conditions that lead to hormonal imbalances that are thought to cause PCOS.

Genetics

It is thought that PCOS is caused due to genetics, at least, in part. In one study conducted by the University of Alabama, Birmingham, it was found that the risk for PCOS can be inherited as 24% of women with PCOS had a mother who had the condition, and 32% of the women had a sibling with the condition. While there is no single gene responsible for PCOS, other women in the family of women who have PCOS are more likely to develop metabolic abnormalities related to it. A wide variety of genes and associated mechanisms are thought to be responsible for PCOS, which could also explain why the condition has many different symptoms and develops at different ages for women. Genetic studies of the condition point to a number of genes responsible for abnormal hormone levels and insulin resistance. Research shows that insulin resistance is prevalent in women who have PCOS regardless of their weight (obesity and lean). Insulin resistance in women who do not have PCOS comes as a consequence of obesity, and it is not the case for the former.

Insulin Resistance and High Testosterone

The pancreas produces insulin to control blood sugar levels. Its function is to move glucose into the body’s cells, where it is used for producing energy. Insulin resistance causes the cells and tissues in the body to become more resistant to the effect of insulin. Therefore, able to send the required amounts of glucose to the cells in a lesser extent. The body then has to compensate by producing extra insulin to keep the glucose levels even in the blood.

The extra production of insulin also makes the ovaries produce excess testosterone. The higher testosterone in the blood disrupts the ovulation cycles by interfering with the development of follicles in the ovaries where the eggs develop. Higher insulin also leads to weight gain and obesity, which can worsen the PCOS symptoms.

Hormone Imbalance

Hormone imbalance is thought to be the major cause of PCOS in women. Many women with the condition often have:

• Elevated testosterone levels: Testosterone is a male sex hormone that interferes with the development of follicles in the ovaries.


• Elevated levels of Luteinising Hormone (LH): LH stimulates ovulation but can lead to abnormal functioning of the ovaries at high levels.


• Depreciated levels of sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG): SHBG is a protein that binds with testosterone in the blood to lower its effects.


• An elevated prolactin level in some women with PCOS In pregnancy, prolactin stimulates the breasts to produce milk.

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