ARTICLES ON HAIR LOSS
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| Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is a
condition that affects more than 5% of childbearing women. Women suffering from PCOS
usually report having small cysts on the ovaries. This condition typically leads to high
levels of the male sex hormone - testosterone which causes excessive facial hair, male
pattern baldness and acne in women. Other conditions associated with PCOS are infertility,
obesity, high levels of hormone insulin, high blood pressure, hardening of the arteries
etc. While most people think that PCOS is simply a fertility issue, Dr. Nestler of the Medical college of Virginia in Richmond commented that PCOS is more of a health issue. According to Dr. Nestler, women with PCOS are at high risk for diabetes and heart attacks due to high levels of insulin and blood pressure and triglycerides. When the body fails to use insulin properly, the amount of insulin in the blood surges and lead to high blood pressure and high triglyceride levels. Insulin may also cause the ovaries to produce high levels of testosterone which affect hair growth in women, disrupts menstruation and prohibits ovulation. According to April 29th issue of The New England Journal of Medicine, there is a new drug which may help the body use the hormone insulin to treat PCOS. The new drug is called D-chiro-inositol. This agent can be found naturally in fruits and vegetables. It helps to better utilize the body's insulin and can promote ovulation and overall health. At this point, the drug is under development by INSMED Pharmaceuticals, Inc. in Richmond, Virginia. Dr. Nestler added that the drug is superior to other treatments for PCOS in that it addresses the cause of the disorder rather than attacking the symptoms. Clinical findings concluded that insulin resistance in PCOS may be related to a deficiency in D-chiro-inositol and can be cured by administering this drug to the patient. In a clinical testing of 44 women with PCOS, 86% of the subjects treated with D-chiro-inositol (1200 milligrams) daily for 6 - 8 weeks reported improvement compared to only 27% of the subjects who received placebo treatment. Specifically, women treated with D-chiro-inositol reported decrease in testosterone levels, blood pressure and triglyceride levels. As of now, no side effects have been found associated with the D-chiro-inositol treatment. This is particularly encouraging given that most existing treatments for PCOS, eg: Glucophage (metformin) or Rezulin (troglitazone) carry side effects. Dr. Donna Vogel of the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development commented that these clinical findings show a lot of promise for women suffering form PCOS. The Institute provided part of the research's funding and is currently planning on a larger scale clinical trial of the drug. |
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