PCOS Symptoms in Women: How a Naturopathic Doctor Addresses the Root Cause
- Juline Savaya
- Jun 2
- 6 min read
Updated: 3 days ago
If you have been told you have PCOS -- or suspect that you might -- you probably already know how frustrating it can feel to search for answers. You might have been handed a birth control prescription and sent on your way, or told to just lose weight without any real explanation of why you feel the way you do. Maybe your labs came back normal and yet you still feel anything but.
I hear this from women every week. PCOS is one of the most common hormonal conditions I see in my practice, and it is also one of the most misunderstood. The good news is that when you understand what is actually driving your symptoms, there is a lot that can be done.
This post is for any woman who is tired of being handed a band-aid solution and wants to understand what is actually going on in her body.
1 in 10 women affected
Polycystic ovary syndrome affects an estimated 1 in 10 women of reproductive age, making it the most common endocrine disorder in women worldwide, yet it remains significantly underdiagnosed and undertreated.
What Is PCOS, Really?
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a hormonal and metabolic condition that affects the ovaries and how the body processes hormones. You may have also seen it referred to as PMOS, or polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome, a newer name that more accurately reflects the metabolic and endocrine nature of the condition. PCOS remains the standard clinical term, but the shift in language reflects a growing understanding that this is far more than a reproductive issue.
Despite the name, you do not actually need to have cysts on your ovaries to have PCOS, and not everyone with PCOS looks the same.
According to the internationally accepted Rotterdam Criteria, PCOS is diagnosed when a woman has at least two of the following three features, after other conditions have been ruled out:
Irregular or absent menstrual cycles
Elevated androgens (male hormones like testosterone), either in a blood test or through symptoms like acne and hair thinning
Polycystic ovaries visible on ultrasound
But here is what most women are not told: PCOS is not just a reproductive problem. It is fundamentally a metabolic and hormonal condition, and addressing it as such is exactly where naturopathic medicine excels.
Common PCOS Symptoms to Watch For
PCOS presents differently in every woman, which is part of why it so often goes undiagnosed or misdiagnosed for years. Here are the most common patterns I see in my practice.
Cycle and reproductive symptoms include irregular periods with cycles longer than 35 days, heavy or painful periods when they do occur, difficulty conceiving due to irregular or absent ovulation, and an increased risk of miscarriage related to the hormonal, metabolic, and inflammatory changes associated with PCOS.
Hormonal and skin symptoms include acne particularly along the jawline and chin, hair thinning or hair loss from the scalp, excess facial or body hair, and oily skin.
Metabolic symptoms include difficulty losing weight especially around the midsection, weight gain despite a healthy diet, sugar cravings and energy crashes after eating, and fatigue that does not improve with rest.
Mood and mental health symptoms include anxiety and depression. Research shows women with PCOS have significantly higher rates of both, along with brain fog and mood swings particularly in the weeks before a period.
PCOS is one of the most under-diagnosed and under-treated conditions in women's health. Many of my patients have been living with symptoms for years before anyone connected the dots. You deserve more than a prescription that masks the problem.
-- Dr. Juline Savaya, NMD
What Is Actually Driving Your PCOS?
This is where conventional medicine and naturopathic medicine diverge. Conventional treatment often focuses on managing symptoms: birth control to regulate cycles, metformin for blood sugar, spironolactone for androgen-driven symptoms. These can be useful tools, and I do work with medications when appropriate for Arizona patients. But they do not address why PCOS is happening in the first place.
Research estimates that up to 70% of women with PCOS have insulin resistance, even those who are lean. When cells stop responding properly to insulin, the body produces more of it, which in turn signals the ovaries to produce more androgens like testosterone. This is the hormonal cascade behind many of the most frustrating PCOS symptoms, and it also connects PCOS to a significantly higher risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease if left unaddressed.
Beyond insulin, the Endocrine Society notes that chronic low-grade inflammation is a consistent feature of PCOS, and that inflammatory markers appear to stimulate androgen production in the ovaries independently of insulin. Diet, gut health, and chronic stress all play significant roles here.
In some women, elevated androgens originate primarily from the adrenal glands rather than the ovaries, often triggered by chronic stress. This subtype of PCOS responds differently to treatment and is frequently missed when testing is limited to testosterone alone.
Emerging research is also linking gut microbiome imbalances to PCOS, particularly in how the gut influences estrogen metabolism, insulin sensitivity, and inflammation. Healing the gut often shifts PCOS symptoms in ways that nothing else does.
RELATED SERVICE How Dr. Savaya addresses insulin resistance, pre-diabetes, and related metabolic conditions. |
RELATED SERVICE How naturopathic gut health support can play a meaningful role in hormonal balance. |
How Dr. Savaya Approaches PCOS
When a patient comes to me with PCOS, I do not start with a prescription. I start with listening, and then with a comprehensive lab panel that goes well beyond what a standard workup typically includes.
Conventional PCOS testing often checks testosterone and maybe a pelvic ultrasound. In my practice, I look at the full hormonal picture including fasting insulin, glucose, a complete androgen panel, thyroid function, cortisol patterns, inflammatory markers, and nutritional status. I want to understand your individual pattern before building a plan.
From there, treatment is genuinely personalized. It typically involves targeted nutritional strategies to improve insulin sensitivity and reduce inflammation, herbal and supplement support specific to your androgen and metabolic pattern, lifestyle recommendations grounded in current research, stress and nervous system support particularly for adrenal-driven PCOS, and gut health assessment and treatment when dysbiosis is a contributing factor. For Arizona patients, prescription options are available when they complement the naturopathic plan.
The goal is not to manage your PCOS. The goal is to address it at its source so your body can do what it was designed to do.
What Every Woman with PCOS Should Know About Her Fertility
PCOS is the leading cause of anovulatory infertility, meaning infertility caused by irregular or absent ovulation. If you have been trying to conceive without success, or if you are planning a pregnancy in the future, understanding and addressing your PCOS now is one of the most important steps you can take.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists confirms that many women with PCOS can conceive naturally once ovulation is restored through appropriate treatment. Naturopathic medicine has a strong evidence base for supporting ovulation through insulin sensitization, cycle regulation, and targeted nutritional support.
RELATED SERVICE Supporting fertility naturally, including for women with PCOS and irregular cycles. |
When to Seek a Comprehensive Evaluation
If any of the following resonate with you, it is worth scheduling a thorough evaluation:
Your periods are irregular, absent, or have always been unpredictable
You have been told you have PCOS but feel your symptoms are not being adequately addressed
You are struggling with acne, hair thinning, or unwanted hair growth that has not responded to conventional treatment
You are trying to conceive and have not been successful after several months
You have a family history of diabetes, insulin resistance, or cardiovascular disease
You feel like something is off and you have not been able to get clear answers
You do not need a PCOS diagnosis to start asking questions. You just need to be willing to advocate for yourself, and I am here to help you do that.
WRITTEN BY Dr. Juline Savaya, NMD Licensed Naturopathic Physician (Arizona) | Naturopathic Health Consultant (Michigan) Dr. Savaya specializes in women's health, hormones, fertility, and gut health. She sees patients via telehealth across Arizona and in-person and virtually in Michigan. |
References |
1. National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (2023). Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS). https://www.nichd.nih.gov/health/topics/PCOS |
2. Dunaif A. (1997). Insulin resistance and the polycystic ovary syndrome. Endocrine Reviews. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3277140/ |
3. Endocrine Society (2024). Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS). https://www.endocrine.org/patient-engagement/endocrine-library/pcos |
4. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (2023). PCOS FAQ. https://www.acog.org/womens-health/faqs/polycystic-ovary-syndrome-pcos |
5. Azziz R. et al. (2016). Polycystic ovary syndrome. Nature Reviews Disease Primers. doi:10.1038/nrdp.2016.57 |
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