Interesting study on acupuncture and polycystic ovary syndrome
Complementary alternative medicine is increasing in popularity in Los Angeles. Angelenos have turned to acupuncture for conditions ranging from terminal cancer to dandruff. Acupuncture has been proposed as a treatment for infertility secondary to polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Several studies have reported that acupuncture can improve the hormonal status of patients with PCOS. However, according to a new study published in the September issue of the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism , both acupuncture and sham acupuncture produced similar results in these patients. Researchers at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville attempted to determine whether true, as compared with sham, acupuncture normalizes pituitary gonadotropin hormones and increases the frequency of ovulation in women with PCOS. A total of 84 women of reproductive age completed the study. The true acupuncture group was comprised of 40 women and the sham acupuncture group was comprised of 44 women. To be eligible for the study, the women had to be diagnosed with PCOS and to not have received any hormonal treatment for 60 days prior to enrollment. The women underwent 12 sessions of true or sham acupuncture (Park sham device) for eight weeks. A Park sham device is a needle has been designed to telescope instead of penetrating the skin. The main Outcome Measures were serum luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) at baseline, after the course of treatment, and three months later. Ovulation was measured with weekly urine or blood samples.
The researchers found that both groups of women had: (1) A similar average ovulation rate over the five months (true acupuncture: 0.37/month; sham: 0.40/month); (2) Similar LH to FSH ratio improvement from (true: −0.5; sham: −0.8); and (3) A similar decline in LH over the five-month protocol. A change in FSH levels did not occur in either group. Lower fasting insulin and free testosterone both highly correlated with a higher ovulation rate within the true acupuncture group only. The authors concluded that they were unable to discern a difference between the true and sham acupuncture protocols for these women with PCOS, and both groups had a similar improvement in their LH/FSH ratio.
PCOS question: high LH to FSH ratio, but normal estrogen ...
I know there's been a few PCOS questions on here lately, but I wanted to start a new post because it seems something odd is going on with my hormone levels. Hopefully some specialists, doctors or those with very similar problems can weigh in.
I'm now 24, 161cm (5"2) and 52-53kg. I have a desk job but cycle about 15km every day, do bikram yoga about 3 times a week.
I first menstruated when I was 14, but after only a few it stopped for 3 years. [Extra detail- I went vegetarian around the same time and had a "mild" eating disorder- skinny but not scarily so]. The doctors then did an ultrasound, but it was only to check if I had ovaries or not. They put me on the pill to "regulate" my period. I stayed on it for six years, mainly liking the contraceptive element on it, but started to feel uneasy about being on it longterm, even though I don't want children.
I came off it in January 2010 and apart from light spotting in April, haven't had a natural period since. I went Paleo around the same time so was hoping that that would kick it back into balance- it didn't. So I went to the dr last month (I now live in Japan) and her ultrasound brought up cysts. She mentioned PCOS but didn't say whether I had the syndrome or "merely" the cysts. Gave me the pill, took a blood test and told me to come back when I bled.
I went back yesterday and saw a different doctor at the clinic. My blood test results were:
LH 14.03 FSH 5.19 Prolactin 11.86 Estradiol (E2) 41 Progesterone 0.51 Testosterone 0.33
Basically, my LH is three times higher than FSH, while they should be the same. She said everything else was in "normal" levels (though for what stage of the cycle, I don't know).
She then gave me ten days of Premarin (which I hear is used mainly for menopausal women!) and ten days of the same pill I had last time- a Japanese one called Sophia-A.
I asked her about the cysts and she said there wasn't really a way to directly treat them and for now it's important to get my cycle back.
Ratio Lh Vs Fsh - Bookshelf
Ratio, The Simple Codes Behind the Craft of Everyday Cooking
The author of The Elements of Cooking demonstrates how to master western cooking fundamentals through an understanding of ingredient ratios, in a guide that ...Ratio, The Simple Codes Behind the Craft of Everyday Cooking
Ratio
Digit ratio, a pointer to fertility, behavior, and health
In this book, Manning presents evidence for how 2D:4D correlates with genetic traits ranging from sperm counts, the likelihood of having male versus female ...Ratio, children's strategies and errors : a report of the strategies and errors in Secondary Mathematics Project
Everyday Guide Directory
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These ratios represent a low combination of FSH: LH activity (150:75 ... Theoretical vs. actual FSH and LH activities. A) FSH bioactivities of ...
How important is the LH:FSH ratio?
The emphasis doctors place on the ratio of luteinizing hormone (LH) to follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) varies. Most pre-menopausal women have a ratio close to1:1
LH/FSH ratio: A better marker of secondary amenorrhea in ...
LH/FSH ratio: A better marker of secondary amenorrhea in patients from eastern Nepal ... FSH, LH and prolactin (PRL) levels were assessed by ELISA in 50 cases with secondary ...
RB&E | Abstract | Mixed protocols: Multiple ratios of FSH and ...
The FSH and LH bioactivities of the products were determined after ... vs. actual LH bioactivity for Menopur(R) in the above mentioned ratios tested were 75 vs. ...
Oct1997: Long GnRH-Agonist Protocol in an IVF Program Is It ...
Women over 40 years old or having serum basal FSH >10 mIU/mL were excluded. ... for the FSH/LH ratio were chosen, and the ratio demonstrated that pregnancy ...
