Crushing PCOS first requires the correct diagnosis, and today Dr. Minni Malhotra dives into what your clinician should be looking for and how the syndrome differs between women. From the individual hormones and what their normal ranges should be to the systemic changes that can be used to identify someone with PCOS, this episode is full of useful information! We hear how PCOS was first described in the 1930s by Stein and Leventhal and how this complex condition can be masked if doctors test only the ratios of hormones instead of their discrete values. Tune in for a masterclass in endocrinology in this must-hear episode covering all things PCOS!

Key Points From This Episode:

• An introduction to today’s topic: hormone testing in Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome. 
• Why there is no single test that can diagnose PCOS. 
• The importance of measuring HCG in suspected PCOS patients. 
• What the normal range of LH to FSH is, and why ratio testing cannot diagnose PCOS.
• The first diagnoses of PCOS and how these seven women were treated. 
• How different forms of testosterone affect a woman’s menstruation and ovulation.
• Checking prolactin to rule out a pituitary tumor.
• How progesterone affects ovulation and why it should be tested. 
• The impact of estrogen on PCOS symptoms. 
• Why thyroid problems are often identified in those with PCOS.
• How altered insulin and glucose levels predispose PCOS sufferers to diabetes.
• What cholesterol is and how it increases the risk for heart disease. 
• Cortisol dysregulation in PCOS and the underlying mechanism.
• The overlap between hypothyroidism and PCOS, and how to differentiate the two disorders.
• Why it’s important to have access to an advanced functional lab. 

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Dr. Minni Malhotra Email

Anchor Wellness Center

The Institute of Functional Medicine