Unwanted weight gain is something most women with PCOS deal with. It is one of the most frustrating PCOS symptoms. Thankfully, you can turn to any of these 4 best supplements for PCOS weight loss to help support you in your journey to health and fitness.
PCOS is associated with symptoms such as acne, unwanted weight gain, infertility, insulin resistance, unwanted hair growth and others.
Most doctors strongly recommend losing unwanted weight to improve other symptoms such as insulin resistance and infertility issues. In fact, many women with PCOS have reported getting pregnant easily after losing excess weight in their bodies.
Some of the ways you can lose weight when you are struggling with PCOS is through:
- Intermittent fasting
- Eating a low carbohydrate, high protein diet
- Aerobic exercise such as swimming, walking, dancing and weight training
- Avoiding smoking & drinking alcohol
- Taking weight loss herbs & supplements
Certain herbs and supplements support weight gain effectively when you have trouble or difficulty trying to shed off the extra pounds of unnecessary fat. This article will briefly talk about them as well as where you can purchase and start incorporating them in your daily routine. Let us look at 4 of the best supplements for PCOS weight loss below:
4 Effective Supplements for PCOS Weight Loss
1. Myo-Inositol
Myo-inositol (buy here) is one of the best supplements for PCOS weight loss. Taking it helps support weight loss in women with PCOS. Myo-inositol is a specific form of inositol, also known as Vitamin B8, that helps reduce insulin resistance.
According to this study, in which 92 women with PCOS participated, half of them were given 4 grams of myo-inositol per day for 14 weeks. The other half was on a placebo. The study showed that those who took inositol lost weight while those in the placebo gained weight.
This supplement also supports healthy ovulation, regular menstrual cycles and fertility.
2. L-Carnitine
Another on this list of best supplements for PCOS weight loss is L-carnitine (buy here), which also helps women with PCOS manage their excess weight. L-Carnitine, a naturally occurring nutrient and dietary supplement, is an amino acid that is found in meat. It is known to be an effective weight loss supplement especially for overweight and/or obese adults.
This study demonstrated 60 overweight women with PCOS who took carnitine to lose unwanted weight. It shows that those who took 250 mg of carnitine per day for 12 weeks lost an average of 5.9 pounds compared to a 0.2 pound gain in the group which took a placebo. The 12 week study concluded that taking carnitine supplements resulted in a significant reduction in weight, BMI, waist circumference and hip circumference in women with PCOS.
3. Ashwagandha
Ashwagandha (buy here) is an Indian herb that has been used in Ayurveda, (traditional Indian medicine) for centuries. It’s also known as winter cherry, poison gooseberry and Indian ginseng.
This wonderful herb has positive effects on cholesterol levels and weight loss in women with PCOS and it also greatly helps with other symptoms such as depression, stress and anxiety.
4. Fish Oil
Fish oil (buy here) is a supplement that many people take to keep their bodies healthy. But did you know that it is also a great supplement for PCOS weight loss?
Taking a high-quality fish oil supplement helps reduce insulin resistance that is also associated with unwanted weight gain.
Fish oil also reduces leptin levels in women with PCOS. Leptin is a hormone that is produced by fat cells that sends signals to the brain to burn more calories which helps prevent and cut off excess fat.
Overweight women and those with PCOS have high chances of developing leptin resistance which hinders weight loss because it tricks your brain into thinking the body is in starvation mode, hence increasing appetite and reducing metabolism.
How to Take these Supplements
Choose which supplements are best for you, then follow the manufacturer’s instructions on the bottle for the daily recommended amount to take.
You can also let your doctor know which supplements you will be taking.
Other PCOS Supplements Info:
- 5 Best Hair Supplements for PCOS-Related Hair Loss
- Top 5 Supplements for PCOS Fertility
- 5 Effective Supplements for PCOS Acne
- 5 Natural Supplements for PCOS Insulin Resistance
Can you only take one of these supplements at a time or can you take multiple?
Hi Carmen,
You can take one or multiple – just make sure to follow the daily recommended amount (according to manufacturer’s instructions at the back of the bottle). Also, you can let your doctor know what supplements you’re taking before you start.
Hello, can you take all of the 4 supplements mentioned together daily?