While there’s currently no cure for PCOS, the symptoms can be managed with medications, lifestyle modifications, and, in rare cases, surgery. The right PCOS treatment method for you will depend on your symptoms and whether you’re planning to become pregnant.
Medication Options
Medications to help treat PCOS symptoms include:
- Combined hormonal birth control pills: Birth control pills containing both estrogen and progestin help regulate your period and are the primary treatment for women with PCOS who are not trying to become pregnant. They can be used long term and may help reduce excess hair and acne, as well as decrease the risk of endometrial cancer.
- Diabetes medications: Certain diabetes drugs, such as metformin, can be prescribed off-label to help your body respond to insulin, lose weight, decrease the risk of type 2 diabetes, and improve ovulation.
- Anti-androgens: These medications can block the effects of excess androgens on your body, helping to decrease unwanted hair growth, reduce scalp hair loss, and improve acne.
- Acne treatments: Retinoids, antibacterial agents, and antibiotics are all common medications used to treat acne.
It’s important to tell your doctor if you’re trying to become pregnant, as they can help advise you on the best medications for your situation. Women who are trying to conceive need to take a special approach to treating PCOS, because they will not be able to use hormonal birth control.
Treatments for Infertility
For many women, infertility is one of the most distressing complications of PCOS. Many women with PCOS do not naturally ovulate, or only ovulate irregularly, and will struggle to conceive without treatment.
- clomiphene (Serophene)
- letrozole (Femara)
- metformin (Glucophage)
- gonadotropins
If you are overweight or have obesity, losing weight may also help improve your fertility.
If medications are unsuccessful, a doctor may recommend in vitro fertilization, or IVF. In this procedure, eggs are removed from the ovaries, fertilized outside of the body, and then placed into the uterus.
Complementary and Integrative Therapies
- Vitamin D: Taking a vitamin D supplement may help improve insulin metabolism and regulate ovulation issues. Vitamin D also has anti-inflammatory properties, so it could help if you have low-grade inflammation.
- Vitamin E: Some evidence suggests that vitamin E can improve blood sugar and cholesterol. It may also affect androgen hormones.
- Acupuncture: This complementary therapy may benefit PCOS treatment by improving symptoms related to ovulation and period irregularities.
- Probiotics and prebiotics: Your gut microbiome has a hand in many aspects of your health and is associated with PCOS. Prebiotics and probiotics can support a healthy gut, improve your hormones, and reduce inflammation.
- Folic acid: Folic acid supplements have been shown to reduce body mass index in people with PCOS. Weight gain is a common symptom of PCOS.
- Selenium: This supplement is an antioxidant and has anti-inflammatory properties. While selenium doesn’t seem to help with hormone imbalances, it may reduce cholesterol and insulin levels.
Be sure to contact a doctor before starting any new supplement, as it may interfere with the medications you’re already taking. Plus, your doctor can do a simple blood test to check your vitamin and mineral levels, showing where you may have a deficiency.
Surgery
Surgery to treat PCOS is rarely used.
