“Polycystic ovary syndrome is a condition that is caused by an overproduction of reproductive hormones in people assigned female at birth. Inflammatory PCOS is mistaken for a different type of PCOS, but it isn’t actually classified in this way.”

Instead, research suggests that PCOS is always closely associated with inflammation. Using blood tests, most studies have found that people with PCOS have higher levels of certain inflammatory markers than people without PCOS.

PCOS is a common, but underdiagnosed, condition that can affect your periods, metabolism, and ability to get pregnant without assistance. PCOS affects the ovaries, which produce the hormones responsible for ovulation and menstruation — estrogen and progesterone.

PCOS impacts between 5 and 15 percent of women, and can cause many symptoms.

Symptoms of the disease include:

  • Irregular periods. This can include missed periods, frequent periods, or no periods at all.
  • Too much hair. Also called hirsutism, this happens when you have more than a typical amount of hair on your face, chin, legs, or other parts of your body.
  • Acne. In people with PCOS, acne is common on the face, chest, and upper back.
  • Thinning hair. Hair loss or thinning on the scalp.
  • Weight gain. People with PCOS often have trouble losing weight.
  • Ovarian cysts. Cysts are small fluid-filled sacs, and they can form in one or both ovaries.

Many studies have shown a strong association between PCOS and chronic, low-grade inflammation. People with PCOS are more likely to have certain markers in their blood that indicate this type of inflammation.

Your body responds to threats with inflammation. It starts with your immune system. Inflammation is meant to protect you while you heal, but chronic inflammation can cause a lot of problems.

Chronic inflammation happens when the inflammatory response continues even though you’re no longer sick or injured. It’s often seen in autoimmune conditions — such as lupus and rheumatoid arthritis — when the immune system mistakes your body’s own tissues for a foreign threat.

As opposed to acute (short-term) inflammation, which only lasts as long as your body needs to heal, chronic inflammation is a slow process that can last for months or years. It’s often referred to as low grade inflammation because it’s less of a tidal wave and more of a slow and steady drip.

Other causes of inflammation include:

Experts don’t know exactly what causes PCOS. Most believe it’s a combination of genetics and other factors, including:

  • High androgen levels. Androgens are known as male hormones, but most people produce them regardless of their sex. People with PCOS have higher levels of androgens than what’s typically seen in female individuals.
  • High levels of insulin. People with PCOS tend to be insulin resistant, which means their bodies don’t use insulin as effectively as they should. To compensate, the body produces excess insulin.
  • High levels of inflammation. Inflammation levels can be measured by looking at certain biomarkers in your bloodstream, including C-reactive protein (CRP). People with PCOS have higher-than-normal CRP levels.

The low-grade inflammation associated with PCOS is a risk factor for a lot of health problems.

Infertility

Chronic inflammation can make it difficult to get pregnant when you have polycystic ovarian syndrome. Inflammation may affect the function of your ovaries.

The chance that your ovaries will release a healthy egg can be lowered by the presence of polycystic ovarian syndrome. It can interfere with the process of implantation, in which a fertilized embryo burrows into the walls of the uterus and begins to grow.

Type 2 diabetes

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than half of women with PCOS develop type 2 diabetes before they turn 40. This means type 2 diabetes is much more common among people with PCOS than people without the condition.

One large study found that women with PCOS were four times more likely to develop type 2 diabetes than their counterparts without PCOS. Chronic inflammation, insulin resistance, and excess weight all play a role in the development of type 2 diabetes.

Heart disease

People with PCOS are at increased risk of heart disease. Oxidative stress, which is related to inflammation, can take a toll on your heart over time. High blood pressure and stroke are also more common for people who have PCOS.

Reducing inflammation in your body can help reduce your risk of problems from PCOS.

Anti-inflammatory diet for PCOS

Some people choose to follow an anti-inflammatory diet to help manage their PCOS symptoms and lower their risk of complications. Every person’s body responds differently to different foods, so it can take some trial and error to find an anti-inflammatory diet that will work for you. Still, there are some foods that typically promote inflammation and some that typically combat it.

A varied diet rich in vitamins, minerals, and other vitamins is a good rule of thumb. Eliminate entire food groups and focus on eating foods that will nourish your body. Some inflammatory foods you may want to avoid include:

  • White bread, pastries, donuts, cakes are refined.
  • Milk, cheese, and dairy products are available.
  • There are some snacks and beverages that are not good.
  • processed meats
  • Alcohol.
  • There are foods withPreservatives.

Exercise

People with PCOS can use regular exercise to lower their risk of complications. Exercise can lower inflammation levels, improve insulin resistance, and help you keep a moderate weight. Regular exercise also lowers your risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

Research shows that vigorous, intense exercise has the greatest results in people with PCOS. To reduce your risk of PCOS complications, studies suggest a minimum of 120 minutes of vigorous exercise per week. This can include things such as:

  • running
  • swimming
  • Interval training is high-intensity.
  • spinning
  • kickboxing

Other ways to lower inflammation

You can lower inflammation withholistic methods. These therapies are not endorsed by the scientific community, but they may help improve your health.

These strategies are related.

Inflammation of the reproductive system is not a specific type of the disease. People with the disease have elevated levels of inflammation. There are a number of potential problems associated with chronic inflammation and PCOS. Reducing inflammation in your body may help you manage your symptoms of PCOS.