6 Types of PCOS
There are different types of PCOS. PCOS, or polycystic ovarian syndrome, is a hormone-related condition that can affect your period. It is diagnosed by having 2 out of the following three: elevated androgens (DHEA and/or testosterone), polycystic ovaries on an ultrasound, and ovulatory dysfunction meaning lack of ovulation or reduced frequency of ovulation resulting in irregular periods.
PCOS can look different from person to person. While there are different types of PCOS that we’ll go over, It’s important to remember not to get too caught up with what type you are because there are overlap with symptoms among all types of PCOS. But this shows how PCOS is a collection of symptoms and can show up very differently depending on the person.
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Here’s a breakdown of the 6 types of PCOS:
1. Insulin-Resistant Type of PCOS
With insulin resistant PCOS you have a decreased ability to properly manage your blood sugar. Too much insulin can impair ovulation and tells the ovaries to produce more testosterone instead of estrogen. It also stimulates your pituitary gland to make more luteinizing hormone. Balancing blood sugar is very important here with an insulin-resistant type of PCOS.
2. Inflammatory Type of PCOS
With an inflammatory type of PCOS you can see just that - inflammation in the body. Signs in your body of inflammation include digestive issues like IBS, unexplained fatigue, headaches, joint pain, skin conditions like eczema or psoriasis, or even food sensitivities. You can test a marker called high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) to check for the level of inflammation in your body if you suspect you may have an inflammatory type of PCOS.
3. Post-Pill Type of PCOS
If your periods were normal before taking hormonal birth control and now you meet the diagnostic criteria for PCOS you may have the post-pill type of PCOS. If you had experienced PCOS symptoms before going on the pill, but never received a formal diagnosis it’s possible you had PCOS before going on the pill.
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4. Adrenal Type of PCOS
If DHEA-S is your only high androgen this can indicate an adrenal type of PCOS as DHEA-S is your adrenal androgen (testosterone is produced in the ovaries). With this one you want to check your prolactin levels and to rule out another condition that presents similarly to PCOS called nonclassic congenital adrenal hyperplasia (NCAH). The adrenal type of PCOS is driven by an abnormal stress response versus an impaired insulin or blood sugar response as seen in the insulin-resistant type of PCOS.
5. Hidden Cause Type of PCOS
Other drivers that can result in a hidden cause type of PCOS include thyroid disease because hypothyroidism affects ovulation and can worsen insulin resistance, deficiencies in vitamin D, zinc, or iodone, because your ovaries need these nutrients, or elevated prolactin because it can increase DHEA. With these hidden drivers once you fix the root cause your symptoms should improve pretty quickly.
6. Lean Type of PCOS
While weight struggles can be a symptom of PCOS (especially with insulin-resistant type of PCOS), it’s entirely possible to have a lean type of PCOS in a lean body as well.
Take away message:
With PCOS you can have an overlap of symptoms that cross these various types so don’t get too attached to one specific type of PCOS. PCOS can present different from person to person. If you’re looking to understand the root causes of your PCOS, check out my hormone testing packages HERE.
