Having PCOS is not an easy thing especially when you have symptoms such as hirsutism or insulin resistance. This article talks about the best supplements for PCOS insulin resistance to balance your blood sugar levels naturally.
What is Insulin Resistance?
One of the major symptoms of PCOS is insulin resistance.
Insulin resistance is when the cells in your body (muscles, fat and liver) start resisting signals that the hormone insulin sends out to the body to collect glucose from the blood stream and store it in the cells.
The body gradually loses its ability to use insulin effectively, which makes the body compensate by producing more and more insulin and releasing it into the blood stream.
Glucose, also known as blood sugar, is the fuel our body runs on. Insulin resistance causes glucose levels in the bloodstream to become high, which increases the risk of many major health problems.
Insulin resistance increases the risk for type 2 diabetes, heart attacks, stroke and even cancer.
5 Natural Supplements for PCOS Insulin Resistance
1. Chromium
Chromium (buy here) is at the top of this list of natural supplements for PCOS insulin resistance. It is a trace mineral that is required in the body to process fats and carbohydrates. It works by increasing the effectiveness of insulin in body tissue. According to this study, chromium supplementation decreased serum insulin and free testosterone and improved body weight in patients with PCOS.
This study found that insulin resistance is present in two serious health problems in women; polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) and gestational diabetes. The study also mentions that several researches carried out have now demonstrated that chromium supplements enhance the metabolic action of insulin and lower some of the risk factors for cardiovascular disease, particularly in overweight individuals.
Supplements containing 200-1,000 mcg chromium as chromium picolinate a day have been found to improve blood glucose control. Chromium picolinate is the most efficacious form of chromium supplementation.
2. Berberine
Berberine (buy here) is a bioactive compound that is extracted from several different plants, including a group of shrubs called Berberis.
Research shows that berberine is effective in regulating glucose and lipid metabolism in vitro and vivo. Its benefits for improving insulin resistance have been compared to Metformin, which is a medication for stabilizing insulin.
“In a study published in the European Journal of Endocrinology, Wei and colleagues randomly selected 89 women with PCOS to receive either berberine (500 mg, three times a day), metformin (500 mg, three times a day), or a placebo for 3 months.
All women were instructed by a nutritionist to reduce their intake of carbohydrates and fats. A calorie range was not provided. Women were also instructed to exercise 30 minutes each day with moderate to intense exercise.
After 3 months of treatment, the women with PCOS who took berberine saw greater reductions in body fat loss than metformin or placebo.” (VeryWellHealth.com)
3. Resveratrol
Resveratrol (buy here), a polyphenol found in the skin of red grapes and other berries, is another supplement good for PCOS insulin resistance. It has been shown to increase insulin sensitivity and manage type II diabetes.
This study demonstrates that resveratrol supplementation may help to counteract insulin resistance and diabetes by restoring impaired endothelium-dependent vasodilatation in insulin resistant individuals which increases blood perfusion of skeletal muscle, thereby facilitating glucose delivery and utilization with resultant improvement of insulin sensitivity.
4. Magnesium
Magnesium (buy here) is one of the important natural supplements for PCOS insulin resistance. It works with insulin receptors to store glucose into body cells. According to this study, women with PCOS can improve insulin sensitivity by increasing magnesium intake.
5. Cinnamon
Cinnamon (buy here) is a spice that has excellent blood sugar stabilizing properties. Supplementing with cinnamon is not only good for women with PCOS but also people with type II diabetes, high cholesterol and obesity.
Many studies such as this one and this one show that cinnamon has an insulin-sensitizing effect in vitro and vivo.
cam my 7 year ol;d take this cinnamon supplement for high insilun levels?and my older daughter who is 20 has pcos high testostorone >will this help as well?