4 Types of PCOS: What Type Do You Have?

 

So, you’ve been diagnosed with PCOS or think you may have it. But do you know which type of PCOS you have? There are actually 4 types of PCOS and knowing the answer to this can help you take the appropriate steps to address your polycystic ovarian syndrome naturally and actually find relief!

 

What is PCOS

PCOS is often a confusing medical diagnosis because it’s not just one thing. It’s a collection of multiple symptoms. Unlike its name, you actually don’t have to have cysts on your ovaries to have PCOS.

 

Ultimately, the symptoms that you experience, inhibit ovulation from occurring, which manifests into androgen excess. If you have PCOS, you’ll have androgen excess. If you don’t have androgen excess, you don’t have PCOS, but you may have another underlying issue occurring. 

 

So, we need to figure out what’s causing you to not ovulate and what’s causing this androgen excess. Read my previous article here to learn more about how to tell if you are ovulating or experiencing anovulatory cycles.

 

Why it’s important to know your PCOS type

If you try to fix your PCOS by taking the steps your friends did that gave them relief, but you don’t experience the same results, it can be frustrating! Your friend could have one type of PCOS (like insulin resistant PCOS) and you have another (like post pIll induced PCOS), so their approach helps their symptoms, but may have no effect on yours.

 

4 Types of PCOS 

• Insulin-Resistant PCOS
• Post Pill-Induced PCOS
• Inflammatory PCOS
• Adrenal PCOS

 

1. Insulin-Resistant PCOS

This one is at the top because this PCOS type is the most common among women. It’s caused by excess sugar, smoking, environmental toxins, and trans fats (found in processed foods to have a longer shelf life). When your insulin and leptin increase, it stops ovulation from occurring and stimulates your ovaries to make testosterone.

 

If you’re on the edge of being diabetic, this is a red flag for insulin-resistant PCOS. So, if you have high blood glucose test results or elevated insulin and LH, beware. Also, while this may be more common in women who are overweight, you could still be at risk if you are normal weight but have elevated insulin. If you had an eating disorder in the past or intense dieting, you could still have insulin issues and insulin-resistant PCOS. 

 

What do you do if you have Insulin-resistant PCOS?

The first thing you want to do is stabilize your blood sugar levels. You don’t want to cause glucose spikes, which leads to spikes of insulin and ultimately, insulin resistance.

 

To stabilize your blood sugars, you’ll want to stay away from excess sugars and goods with a high glycemic load. Remember to be patient because it takes time (a few months) to address and reverse insulin sensitivity. 

 

If your doctor tries to put you on the birth control pill to “fix” your PCOS, it won’t do anything for this type. In fact, the pill can actually impair insulin sensitivity, adding to your issues. 

 

2. Post-Pill-Induced PCOS

Speaking of the pill, you could develop PCOS after coming off of the pill. This is because the pill keeps your hormones from fluctuating, inhibiting your body from ovulating. For some women, normal functioning and ovulation starts back up again soon after they stop the pill. But for other women, they may be going period-less for multiple months or even years! I see women come into my clinic all the time with this issue. 

 

What to do if you have post-pill-induced PCOS?

If you think this is you, the best thing you can do for your body is by first focusing on diet and lifestyle choices to get your hormones back into balance. Ditch the processed foods, and consume more whole organic foods with loads of vegetables. Get adequate amounts of sleep and get movement in every day. You can also take herbs and supplements to help balance out your hormones as well. But be careful of what you are taking. 

 

For example, you may have heard that Vitex (or chaste berry/tree) is good for PCOS. However, if your LH (luteinizing hormone) is elevated, you’ll want to avoid this because Vitex stimulates LH, making your symptoms worse. Instead, if you have high LH levels, try peony & licorice combinations. However, keep in mind that these are herbs that you’ll want to take while working with a functional medicine provider to ensure it’s the right supplement for you, the right timing, and the right dosage.

 

But if your prolactin levels are high-normal, then Vitex could be the best herb to take.

 

3. Inflammatory PCOS

If you have underlying chronic inflammation going on, it’s a red flag that you could have inflammatory PCOS. This is most apparent in women who are dealing with high-stress loads, eating lots of gluten and dairy, and inflammatory foods like processed and sugary foods.

 

How does inflammation lead to PCOS? Well, inflammation can stop ovulation, disrupt hormone receptors, and stimulate your adrenal androgens.

 

What to do if you have inflammatory PCOS.

Out of the 4 types of PCOS, you can see the most significant results with lifestyle behaviors alone with inflammatory PCOS. Dive deep into reducing stress and learning how to manage it. Eat an anti-inflammatory diet. You can take magnesium, probiotics, omega-3s, and zinc to help keep inflammation at bay.

 

4. Adrenal PCOS

This PCOS type means that you only have abnormally high levels of adrenal androgens like DHEAS (dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate), but your testosterone and androstenedione levels are normal. This isn’t caused by insulin or inflammation issues. Instead, it’s driven by epigenetic factors.

 

PCOS Functional Medicine Doctor in Maryland

If you want to know which of the 4 types of PCOS you have, please book a call with me. I’m Dr. Skye Stewart, Functional Medicine Doctor in Maryland. With functional lab testing and natural approaches, we can address your PCOS the proper way so you can finally experience the relief you’ve been looking for. Book your FREE consultation call with me to get started today.