PCOS may be improved by the diet drug Xenical

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) affects 5-10% of 20-40 year old women. It is caused by a hormonal imbalance which causes infertility due to ovulation abnormalities. Symptoms include irregular menstrual cycles, weight gain, acne, hirsutism and insulin resistance. There is no known cause or treatment for the condition but treatment can improve symptoms and inhibit the development of complications such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, endometrial cancer and breast cancer. 10-50% of PCOS sufferers are obese and weight loss can improve the condition. Other treatment involves exercise and the drug Metformin which improves insulin efficiency. In a trial comparing the beneficial effects of Xenical to Metformin, researchers found that subjects using Xenical had a 4.7% weight loss compared to 1.02% in Metformin. Side effects of Metformin included mild nausea, heartburn and mild abdominal pain which all disappeared after one month. Xenical side effects included moderate flatulence and oily stools occasionally. Further study needs to be done to further investigate the benefits of various drugs on PCOS.

Source: summary of medical news story as reported by WebMD Health

Related Disease Topics:

• Polycystic ovary syndrome
• PCOS
• Hormonal imbalance
• Type 2 diabetes
• Heart disease
• Endometrial cancer
• Breast cancer
• Obesity
• Overweight

Related Symptom Topics:

• Infertility
• Ovulation abnormality
• Irregular menstrual cycles
• Weight gain
• Acne
• Hirsutism
• Insulin resistance

Article Source Details

About: PCOS may be improved by the diet drug Xenical

Date: 4 February 2005

Source: WebMD Health

Author: Miranda Hitti

URL: http://my.webmd.com/content/article/100/105677.htm

Related Medical Topics

This summary article refers to the following medical categories:

• Cancer
• Exercise
• Diet
• Research
• Research and polycystic ovary syndrome
• Research and PCOS
• Research and hormonal imbalance
• Research and type 2 diabetes
• Research and heart disease
• Research and endometrial cancer
• Research and breast cancer
• Research and obesity
• Research and overweight
• Research and infertility
• Research and ovulation abnormality
• Research and irregular menstrual cycles
• Research and weight gain
• Research and acne
• Research and hirsutism
• Research and insulin resistance
• Medication and polycystic ovary syndrome
• Medication and PCOS
• Medication and hormonal imbalance
• Medication and type 2 diabetes
• Medication and heart disease
• Medication and endometrial cancer
• Medication and breast cancer
• Medication and obesity
• Medication and overweight
• Medication and infertility
• Medication and ovulation abnormality
• Medication and irregular menstrual cycles
• Medication and weight gain
• Medication and acne
• Medication and hirsutism
• Medication and insulin resistance
• Research
• Medication
• Cause of polycystic ovary syndrome
• Cause of PCOS
• Cause of hormonal imbalance
• Cause of type 2 diabetes
• Cause of heart disease
• Cause of endometrial cancer
• Cause of breast cancer
• Cause of obesity
• Cause of overweight
• Cause of infertility
• Cause of ovulation abnormality
• Cause of irregular menstrual cycles
• Cause of weight gain
• Cause of acne
• Cause of hirsutism
• Cause of insulin resistance