Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is a complex endocrine condition that affects a woman’s hormone balance, fertility, menstrual cycle, and more. Higher levels of androgens (for example, high testosterone levels) can cause a host of symptoms, including acne, hair loss, excessive hair growth, and weight gain.
Although there isn’t a ‘cure’ for PCOS, a combination of nutrition, exercise, and lifestyle changes can help women with PCOS live almost symptom-free. But trying to regulate your hormone imbalances and fulfill your nutritional needs as a PCOS Cyster can feel overwhelming.
If you have vitamin and mineral deficiencies (which many PCOS Cysters do), it’s difficult to get all your required nutrients from meals alone. So taking vitamin supplements can help to compensate for any deficiencies you may have. As well as manage PCOS-related symptoms and reduce triggers.
Check out the best vitamin supplements you can take for PCOS.
Please note this blog post is not a substitute for official medical advice and is for informational purposes only. If you are concerned about your PCOS symptoms, suspect you have an underlying health condition, or wish to start a new diet/lifestyle/supplement plan, please consult your doctor first. Neither the author(s) nor the publishers of this content take responsibility for any potential health consequences or side effects experienced by any person following this educational content.
How To Choose The Best Vitamins For PCOS?
- Get lab work to determine what deficiencies you have.
- Identify the root issues you’re dealing with based on your PCOS type. (Take the quiz!)
- Make sure the supplements are NSF-certified.
- Avoid supplements with fillers, additives, and other junk.
- Ensure the supplements are compatible with your PCOS diet. (gluten- and diary-free)
- Confirm they won’t conflict with other medications or supplements you’re taking.
- Discuss all new supplements with your doctor.
Here are some of the bset supplements for PCOS:
Inositol
Inositols are holy grail supplements for PCOS Cysters. In fact, they can curb intense cravings, improve insulin levels, ease inflammation, enhance egg quality, reduce cholesterol, and aid healthy weight loss. Quite the all-rounder, right?
In addition, Inositols are one of the most researched supplements for PCOS. The combination of D-Chiro inositol (DCI) and Myo-inositol in a 40:1 ratio is also known to improve egg quality and ovarian function. DCI can improve insulin resistance, which is common in women with PCOS. This combined approach targets both the metabolic and ovarian aspects of the condition. Ovasitol is a 100% pure inositol supplement made in the 40:1 ratio. It’s made from vitamin B8 and has also been shown to improve egg quality and ovulation.
It’s good to know that studies also show that inositol is just as effective in PCOS women as metformin, except metformin has been shown to have five times more side effects. Consider consulting your doctor to see if Ovasitol is the right fit for you.
Here’s a summary of how inositol can help with PCOS:
- Improves insulin sensitivity
- Supports regular ovulation
- Reduces androgen levels
- Regulates menstrual cycles
- Enhances egg quality and fertility
- Betters mood
- Reduces anxiety
- Improve thyroid function
Multivitamin
You can’t go wrong with an all-in-one! Having PCOS can rob the body of nutrients, due to vitamin/mineral deficiencies caused by birth control medication, or dietary choices (i.e. eating foods that aggravate inflammation). Support your body by taking a daily multivitamin, so you can plug small but critical nutritional gaps in your diet.
Our very own Ovavit MetaMutli multivitamin has been specifically formulated for women with PCOS.
Check out the lowdown:
- It provides a full range of over 20 key nutrient essentials that promote your body’s ability to efficiently convert carbohydrates into energy and manage your metabolism.
- It’s specifically made for PCOS women to support immune health, metabolism, bone health, and more.
- The majority of minerals in this formula come in a ‘chelated’ form for better absorption and bioavailability. This is also super important as not all multivitamins are chelated, rendering them almost ineffective.
- It’s independently tested and certified by NSF International to guarantee that the quantities of vitamins and minerals contained in each dose are consistent with the label.
- PCOS robs us of essential nutrients that are critical for metabolic health. This multivitamin is designed to fill nutrient gaps that exacerbate PCOS problems like hair loss, cystic acne, fatigue, and weight gain.
Order it here.
Vitamin D
Let’s hear it for the sunshine vitamin! Vitamin D plays a key role in PCOS management, as it’s known to improve levels of hormonal, oxidative stress, and inflammatory parameters in PCOS. However, many PCOS Cysters (and many people in general!) are Vitamin D deficient.
Taking Vitamin D supplements can help target a host of PCOS symptoms and risk factors.
- May support the immune system and fight inflammation
- May improve insulin resistance
- May help prevent Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes
- May help with weight loss
- May help battle depression
- May aid menstrual regulation
- May reduce male hormone levels
To make sure our Cysters get the right dosage they need, we made sure to include it in OvaFit’s MetaMulti multivitamin!
Omega-3 Fish Oil
Omega-3s are anti-inflammatory, hormone-balancing, mood-boosting fatty acids that must be absorbed from natural sources. People with PCOS are unable to efficiently process the Omega-3s found in seeds and nuts due to the impairment of an enzyme called D6D that converts them into a usable form. Thankfully, you can skip this conversion step by taking a fish oil supplement.
The effects of omega-3s are powerful; they’re associated with lowering androgen/testosterone levels (no more facial hair and acne!), lowering triglyceride levels, (a type of blood fat – too much of which can increase the risk of heart disease), lowering blood pressure, reducing inflammation (goodbye, joint pain!) and also improving your mood.
In fact, our very own Omega-3 Ovafit supplement has been specially formulated for PCOS Cysters. This purified fish oil supplement, made from wild-caught Alaska Pollock, is rich in eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). And highly concentrated for maximum nutritional benefits.
It’s independently tested and certified by both NSF International and the International Fish Oil Standards (IFOS) for content accuracy, purity, and freedom from contaminants such as mercury and PCBs. AlaskOmega® is a refined omega-3 fish oil concentrate and a registered trademark of Organic Technologies.
Order it here.
Berberine
Want a supplement found to be almost as beneficial as inositol for PCOS? Berberine! In a study of berberine, inositol, and metformin, both natural supplements were found to be way more beneficial than the prescription. That’s pretty incredible!
Berberine is beneficial, because it activates AMPK (AMP-activated protein kinase), which is basically your body’s metabolic light switch. When it’s activated, your body utilizes glucose properly to burn fat for fuel instead of storing. (That means insulin sensitivity goes way up!) It’s also anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and has been shown to androgen/testosterone levels in women with PCOS
Here’s some of what berberine can do for PCOS:
- Improves insulin sensitivity
- Lowers androgens
- Reduces inflammation
- Supports ovulation and fertility
- Improves gut health
- Balances lipids and cholesterol
- Supports liver health
- Improves thyroid function
Want a beberine made just for PCOS? Try Berberine Advanced, which was made with berberine phytosome, a patented form that’s 10x more bioavailable, and has 550mg per serving, just like in the studies with PCOS women.
Curcumin
Curcumin is the active compound in turmeric, and it’s super helpful for improving chronic inflammation and oxidative stress, which are two big contributors to hormonal imbalances and metabolic issues. Because curcumin is an anti-inflammatory holy grail, it’s beneficial for improving insulin sensitivity, lowering androgens, supporting egg quality, balancing mood, fighting fatigue, bettering gut health, and more!
Order OvaFit’s Curcumin for PCOS here.
CoQ10
CoQ10 is the supplement for fertility. By neutralizing free radicals, transferring more energy to the cells, and improving mitochondrial efficiency, CoQ10 can improve fertility and pregnancy rates in women—especially women with PCOS. It can improve egg quality, boost ovulation, reduce insulin resistance, lower inflammation, reduce androgen levels, and raise energy levels! CoQ10 has also been shown to lower blood pressure and bad cholesterol, which can help prevent cardiovascular disease, a common long-term complication of PCOS.
This one is included in Ovafit’s Metabolism Plus bundle and Purely Prenatal bundle!
Zinc
Zinc plays a key role in the production of reproductive hormones. It helps to balance blood sugar and target PCOS symptoms, like acne. It’s a foundational supplement that’s friendly to our gastrointestinal system and easy to absorb. Because research has shown us how important it is for PCOS, we included in OvaFit’s MetaMulti Multivitamin as well.
An essential nutrient, zinc has many key functions in the body including:
- Immune function
- Wound healing
- Protein synthesis
- Thyroid health
- Blood sugar regulation
- Growth and development
It also helps combat hair loss and unwanted hair growth, which are common PCOS symptoms caused by excess androgens i.e. male hormones. Thanks to a combination of nutrition, exercise, lifestyle, and supplementation, you can control your PCOS symptoms so they don’t control you. Find out more about our bundle of specially formulated PCOS supplements here.
Choose the best quality supplements for PCOS healing!
Managing PCOS naturally take a holistic approach. Intentional lifestyle changes can make a bigger impact on your symptoms than any prescription or procedure could! Just ensure whatever supplements you take are motivated by your blood work and symptoms, approved by a doctor, and the best quality available. You can find all of my NSF-certified supplements specifically formulted for PCOS on Ovafit!
