Pcos Disease

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is one of the most common disorders of the endocrine system of women. It is estimated that 5-10% of all women and up to 17% of Hispanic women struggle with symptoms of PCOS. Characterized by an abnormally high level of male hormone, testosterone, irregular periods, infertility and insulin resistance, research now shows that hormonal imbalances may also predispose women with PCOS to additional health problems (1).

One such problem is obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), the involuntary closure of the upper airway causing breathing to stop during sleep (2). Victims are generally not awakened by the repeated episodes of night, but others wake up with the experience of being strangled or asphyxiated. The symptoms of sleep apnea are snoring chronic gasping / choking episodes during sleep, excessive daytime sleepiness and personality changes (3).
In the past, excessive snoring and sputtering was fertile ground for jokes, but researchers have discovered that sleep apnea is not something pleasant. People with sleep apnea are three times more likely to be involved in road accidents. They are less productive, and workers may have problems related to poor memory and judgments. They are more likely to suffer from depression and other psychiatric disorders and are subject to a range of chronic diseases like diabetes, thyroid disorders, cancers and cardiovascular diseases (4).

This link between sleep disorders and chronic diseases is being thoroughly investigated. Science tells us that the real purpose of sleep is not fully elucidated. It seems to answer some important physiological functions such as catering, neurological development and maintenance, memory consolidation, physical growth and maturation and strengthening the immune system (5). Sleep is essential for the proper functioning of these systems (and probably others) that support our health and our sense of well-being. sleep disturbance can negatively affect and / or inhibit the most basic physiological functioning, causing a ripple effect throughout the body.

Sleep apnea, polycystic ovary syndrome and insulin resistance

It is therefore not surprising that researchers have discovered that sleep apnea may be linked to hormonal imbalances even within the endocrine system that result in other PCOS symptoms.

Studies show that women with PCOS have an exceptionally high risk of sleep apnea (6). Increased weight and obesity may play a significant role. BMI (body mass index) contributes to an imbalance of insulin that causes a cascade of problems associated with resistance to insulin, the body's inability to process glucose efficiently. Due to a series of biochemical errors, insulin is unable to bind to cells, inhibiting its ability to transfer glucose into cells to be transformed into energy. This causes an accumulation of insulin and glucose in the blood which contributes to the buildup of plaque in blood vessels.

Studies indicate that insulin resistance may be a risk factor that testosterone excess in the incidence of PCOS. In a controlled study, women with PCOS were 30 times more likely to suffer from sleep disordered breathing and reported higher frequencies of daytime sleepiness than the control group.

The researchers also found that although levels of testosterone between the two groups were comparable, and their fasting plasma insulin levels were significantly higher, indicating that sleep apnea may reflect a defect related to insulin Endocrine (7). These results confirm the link between polycystic ovary syndrome, insulin resistance and a higher incidence of diabetic conditions.

Questions testosterone and vascular

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