PCOS and Bacterial Infections

Not too many years ago stomach ulcers were a mystery. No one knew the cause. It’s now commonly accepted that ulcers are caused by a bacteria called H. pylori. Even though H. pylori is a common infection that doesn’t always produce symptoms, it can become a health problem.

Surprising research from Adnan Menderes University in Turkey has now associated H. pylori with PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome).

In this study, 35 women with PCOS were compared to 50 non-PCOS women for H. pylori antibodies in the blood. 40% of the PCOS women showed evidence of exposure to H. pylori vs. only 22% for other women. In other words, the rate of exposure to H. pylori in women with PCOS was nearly double the rate for other women.

Why PCOS women may have a higher exposure or higher infection rate is not known. Whether H. pylori might in some way contribute to polycystic ovary syndrome problems is a mystery. We’ll have to await further research. This new research is nothing to be alarmed about but is something to be aware of.

Meanwhile, what might you do, if anything?

You could consume antioxidant nutrients, either as part of a healthy diet, or as supplements. When vitamins C and E are given in addition to antibiotics, the eradication rate of H. pylori is significantly higher than when using antibiotics alone.

The antioxidant nutrient n-acetylcysteine (NAC) has also been reported to help eradicate H. pylori. In addition, NAC may improve your fertility as well as reduce insulin resistance in women who have PCOS. Insulin resistance is a major cause of polycystic ovary syndrome.

Courtesy of Natural Health Solutions for PCOS
http://www.ovarian-cysts-pcos.com/