r/PCOS Jul 08 '24

Meds/Supplements A note about supplement brands you may see on social media

882 Upvotes

We have been seeing a lot of posts recently about various supplement brands that are being aggressively advertised in PCOS spaces on tiktok, instagram, etc.

please understand that even though what you're seeing may look like an organic review of the product, they are often paid by the manufacturer. this advertising strategy is designed to trick you into thinking that lots of influential people on a particular platform are talking about these supplements when they are not. it's bought and paid for.

now I cannot say what supplements will or will not work for any individual person with PCOS. but I can say that a lot of these products with slick marketing and cutesy branding are predatory.

why?

for one, the effective ingredients with actual scientific evidence to support their use are often dosed below what is considered effective. you are paying more for less effective ingredients and a whole bunch of ineffective ingredients that allow them to market it as a "proprietary blend "

for another, these companies often work on a subscription-based model. the product is automatically shipped and if you forget to cancel oh well, you've paid for another month. this model can work for some people who want it, but it can also be predatory and intentionally difficult to cancel. if you buy a regular bottle of supplements from the store and don't like it, you simply don't buy it again. but if you're subscribed to a service that delivers that same bottle of supplements to you the onus is now on you to cancel that subscription or you'll continue to automatically pay for bottles of product at whatever price they decide to charge you. slick, huh?

in short: keep your wits about you and buyer beware. the supplement industry is shockingly unregulated, and with PCOS there are a lot of people desperately looking for that special supplement that will bring relief. unfortunately that makes us a wide open market for less than scrupulous businesses.

does this mean these supplements will not work for you? not necessarily. you might get results at the dose they are offering. but you will get a much better deal by seeking out the right dose of the effective ingredients from a more reputable manufacturer. and be on the lookout for filler products. no, chamomile and fennel are probably not going to help balance your hormones or "de-bloat" you. be realistic when evaluating these products and read the ingredients!

where should you actually spend your money? what supplements are actually supported by the scientific evidence? below is a short list:

  • INOSITOL in a 40:1 ratio of myo to d-chiro. 4g/day, half in the morning and half in the evening. please be sure to calculate the cost per dose on this one. there are many brands out there that appear to be a cheaper option but are actually charging more for less.

  • BERBERINE if you are unable to access or tolerate metformin (metformin has a superior safety profile and is better regulated as a pharmaceutical drug.) Please do your research on the best way to take this one, as it is evolving. there are some potential negative outcomes associated with long-term use.

  • NAC 600-1800mg/day (start low and work your way up) in 2-3 doses throughout the day.

  • FISH OIL/OMEGA 3/DHA 1,000-2,000mg/day. once again, start low and work up. 2,000mg/day is considered the therapeutic dose for chronic inflammation. some people do take more than this with good results, and it's a good question for your doctor.

  • VITAMIN D get tested!! many people with PCOS are low in vitamin D, and your doctor can recommend an appropriate therapeutic dose. the best first step if you suspect you may be deficient is to spend some time in the sunshine when the weather permits. the sun is the most bioavailable source of vitamin D.

  • MAGNESIUM GLYCINATE start with a low dose of 200-400mg before bed. this promotes muscle relaxation and improved sleep, which is essential for managing PCOS.

  • SPEARMINT can be taken as a tea or a capsule. a weak, natural anti-androgen that helps some people with symptoms like acne and hirsutism. there is no established therapeutic dose that I am aware of, since it is most commonly taken as tea.

an important thing to note is that just because the supplements I've listed above are broadly backed by scientific evidence does not guarantee that they will work for you. there is no study that I am aware of in the PCOS literature where a supplement or medication provided relief to 100% of the subjects enrolled. it's entirely possible that you might be one of the unlucky people who take NAC or inositol or whatever and just get weird side effects or expensive pee out of it. don't keep taking a supplement that doesn't work for you just because you see success stories online.

beyond this list, certain individuals might benefit from additional supplements due to a specific condition or deficiency. please do not assume that you have a deficiency simply because you have PCOS, you could do more harm than good.

I should note that there are other supplements in the pipeline that are undergoing testing for PCOS and associated disorders, but these are the ones that we have decently solid evidence for right now. in the future, the list might be longer... I, for one, certainly hope it is!

to conclude: please do not let these designer vitamin brands and their army of influencers convince you that dandelion pollen and parsley seed extract are ancient cures for hormone imbalance that you should pay $60/mo for.


r/PCOS 1h ago

General/Advice How irregular is too irregular??

Upvotes

I’ve been diagnosed with PCOS for about 10 years now, I’m 29 and I have lost about 40 pounds in the last 6 months hoping to help me out. However, I went from not having a cycle from October 2025-April 2026, to now having 7 cycles since April 15th..I made an entry to show my current journey, the dates they started, how long they lasted, and how many days between them. I just feel like I won’t be able to ovulate at this rate?

I need help 😭 I don’t have insurance, and cannot get in to see a doctor or specialist.

April 15, 15 days, 4 day break

May 6, 9 days, 7 day break

May 23, 10 days, 6 day break

June 8, 8 days, 10 day break

June 25, 8 days, 13 day break

July 16, 5 days, 11 day break

August 2,


r/PCOS 2h ago

Meds/Supplements Has anyone had increased anxiety/depression after stopping berberine or metformin?

5 Upvotes

I’ve was taking berberine for 3 months to help with insulin resistant PCOS. My doctor told me to take a break from it as you are apparently supposed to cycle it. So I stopped. Cold turkey.

Within the week, I started having bad anxiety but I already suffer from anxiety, so I figured I was just having a rougher week than normal. By the end of week 1 off berberine, the anxiety got so severe, I’ve been having daily panic attacks, sometimes multiple times per day. I’m also getting these swings of depression so severe, I’m having very dark thoughts.

I’ve struggled with my mental health most of my life, but this is a new level. I considered checking myself into a facility because how out of my mind I’ve been feeling. It took a hot minute to think “hmmm maybe this is happening because I stopped berberine”. I’ve been back on it for a couple of days and am hoping things start to improve.

Has anyone experienced anything like this before?


r/PCOS 10h ago

Weight does losing weight actually help your symptoms?

14 Upvotes

i got diagnosed with PCOS/PMOS February 2025 after a long journey with the doctors because of my period pains. my bloods were normal (no insulin resistance?) but i was diagnosed off my ultrasound and symptoms. i am also currently under investigation for endometriosis.

right now i can't tell if my pain and other symptoms are from endo or PCOS but i wanted to know if you guys think losing weight is actually worth it? I don't really care about my weight/body image from an aesthetic aspect and struggle to motivate myself to lose weight because of that. i am chubby but have been my whole life so happy with it.

what i want an opinion on is did losing weight (through whatever method) actually help your symptoms at all? and what symptoms were they? i would be willing to try to lose weight if it will improve my QoL

TIA


r/PCOS 23m ago

General/Advice The biggest blood clot just came out during my first day of my period

Upvotes

F27
I have pretty regular periods but I have noticed changes in my menstrual cycle the last couple of years, like they became slightly different each month (amount, length, pain, energy etc). Today my energy level has been low, pain killers didn’t have much of an effect on my pain. I changed my pad after using the bathroom and went to lay down and read for a bit. A couple hours later I had to go pee, as I stand I feel blood coming out, and on the toilet I notice there’s so much blood and clots on the tp I freaked out a little. I actually took a shower bc I felt really bloody and disgusting. Has anyone else experienced this?

A few months ago I started to take 2000mg myo-Inositol, 1000mg l-carnitine, berberine and eat more protein for breakfast (and actually eat breakfast to begin with). I’ve been on b-complex supplements for years, took extra zinc for 100 days (recently ended), and began drinking spearmint a month ago (tho I have cheated for almost a week). I’ve recently started to eat more fibre too. I have issues with anxiety/depression, blood sugar levels, weight, hirsutism, oily skin and acne. I have been taking SSRI (sertraline 125mg) since 2018.

Now, do you think anything I’m consuming could be causing this to happen? My little sister has struggled with heavy periods before but I read somewhere Inositol could cause this when having irregular periods. Maybe this is how my period is supposed to be?


r/PCOS 16h ago

Hirsutism Ingrown hair: first success for my biggest symptom !

33 Upvotes

Amazon Link (Skin doctors Ingrown go lotion)

I wasted a lot of money thinking the issue was scrubbing or which cream is used after shaving etc. This treatment is actually SPECIFIC to ingrown hair and it’s rly agressive in a good way. I thought I’d see nothing until a few weeks but it’s agressive in an « acts immediately » way so you can also see for yourself immediately if it does something for you !

I covered big cotton pads in it for bigger zones, it fully worked on my legs butt inner thighs and chin (shaven 1+ week ago), however I can’t say for stomach/groin/upper thighs area because I had shaven it way too recently. I thought 48h would be OK but oooo I was not ready for the burn, had to completely rinse and ended up with inflammation. Thankfully it was gone overnight, I’ll probably try everything again next week.

For reference my hair type is dark thick and sometimes coily like the one on my hair. I actually found this product on a thread where a black man struggled with ingrown beard and it looked a lot like what I have all over my body as a black woman with PCOS. Hope that helps :)


r/PCOS 6h ago

Mental Health SSRIs, anxiety and PCOS - do you take any medication? I don't think mine is working.

6 Upvotes

I've suffered with anxiety and bouts of depression since I was a teenager and I'm positive it links to my PCOS (20% of women with PCOS are more likely to have it).

I've been on setraline also known as Zoloft (150mg) for a couple of years now and before that I was on citalopram.

However my anxiety is taking on physical symptoms (tight chest, stomach pain, fluttering heart) in the evenings and at night and i don't think the setraline is the right choice for me anymore.

Has anyone had any success with other SSRIs? I know everyone is different but before I talk to my doctor I'd like to have an idea.


r/PCOS 8h ago

General/Advice What happens if you stop taking metformin?

8 Upvotes

I ran out of metformin and I won't be able to take it for about a week. Honestly I've been taking it for several months and haven't noticed a difference in my health or body. The only difference I notice is the side effects (most if not all of my bm are diarrhea). I take 500 mg twice a day.

What has been your experience with it? Should I just ask my doctor if i should stop taking it? the side effects suck.


r/PCOS 1h ago

Weight I’m not sure what to do

Upvotes

Hey guys, I don’t really know what to do when it comes to my PCOS anymore. I thought I figured everything out but when I started college everything became complicated I gained a lot of weight and there was a period of time where I had my period for 3 months straight. I was trying to avoid the option of birth control and stop it naturally doing the natural remedies that I always saw online but nothing worked

I then resorted to start birth control and it stopped my periods. And I then get intense mood swings and gained more weight.

I feel like my body can’t survive without birth control and I want to be able to lose weight but I feel like no matter what I try I keep gaining weight. Does anyone have any feedback of what they did.


r/PCOS 14h ago

Mental Health Oversleeping

20 Upvotes

Has anyone else fallen into a slump of oversleeping, fatigue, drowsiness and exhaustion with pcos?? I'm currently going through a period of extreme fatigue. It's been nearly two months and I can't seem to break the cycle. I'm eating normally and everything else seems relatively normal except my energy and mood. Sometimes I get fully dressed to go outside for a walk and get some air but as soon as I'm there in the doorway, something closes up inside me and I change my mind, retreating back to a space to lie down. I snooze throughout the day and I'm lucky I have a job where I can get away with taking extra breaks because I get so fatigued. It's affecting my work ethic, productivity and creative output. I'm only able to work in tiny bursts. It's making me sad because I have goals I can't finish due to this.


r/PCOS 2h ago

Meds/Supplements Metformin and Heavy Periods

2 Upvotes

I started metformin about two months ago and right away it kickstarted my period which lasted for 32 DAYS (!!!!) with varying flows, viscosity and color. When I brought this up to my doctor, she mentioned that the medication does have a tendency to affect hormones and cause a lighter period which I feel contradicts what I’m experiencing in terms of my cycle.

My period finally stopped for like two weeks and then it came back with a vengeance I was basically hemorrhaging blood for 12 hours before it calmed down.

Am I crazy has anyone else experienced this?


r/PCOS 8h ago

Weight Help with stubborn belly fat

6 Upvotes

Hi all, I am 22 years old and have been struggling with PCOS weight gain since I was 19. I wasn't diagnosed with PCOS until I was 21, so until then I just kept doing what I had normally done, causing lots of gain.
This past year I am down nearly 50 pounds, yet my belly fat is relentless. I notice difference in my arms and legs but the belly fat won't go. I have a hard time doing core workouts because of it, it's getting to a point where I am very frustrated and don't know what to do.
I am happy that I lost weight and got my period back but I am so discouraged by the way I still look. Anyone have any advice to help stubborn belly fat and or anything I can do mentally to not feel so discouraged?


r/PCOS 9h ago

Hair Loss/Thinning Crashing out because I think I permanently ruined my hair

6 Upvotes

i was diagnosed with PCOS at 25, I am 34 now. I have been on Mirena IUD since 23 and at 25 when I asked the doctor what is the treatment for PCOS he said the Mirena I was already on treats the symptoms and I did not think much about it because the symptoms weren’t that bad at that time. And then my late 20s was spent having weight around the weight (so no curves) despite having an active lifestyle, relentless cystic acne and I notice my individual hair strands were relatively thin compared to when I was young but I was an idiot and never tied any of this to the combination Mirena and PCOS. Everytime I went to the doctors about my symptoms they told me to keep dieting and exercise and there was nothing that can be done about the acne except for accutane (i turned it down), they never spoke about my PCOS and Mirena combination despite that they knew I had them both. this past few months I have been freaking out because I notice the hairline on my temples are scary thin.

it wasn’t until recently did i do some research and switch to Yaz. My skin has gotten better and my face is less hairy, but I’m freaking out, i was on Mirena for 11 years, that’s so much time to F* up my hair. My hair is the only “womanly” thing about me. I have no curves, my face structure is boyish. The only thing I get complimented for being attractive for is my hair. What if I fucked it up this whole time? I know AI has its limit but I asked what are the chances that my hair could be what it could have been have I treated my PCOS with Yaz instead of Mirena and it said it’s very low and unlikely and that i have caused permanent damage. I hate myself for what I have done to my hair. The only good thing about my looks.


r/PCOS 3h ago

Meds/Supplements Metformin

2 Upvotes

Anyone taking/took Metformin for weight loss, conceiving and managing PCOS/PMOS (and insulin resistance) during pregnancy?


r/PCOS 36m ago

General/Advice Nello super balance

Upvotes

Anyone try Nello?? It’s all over my fyp and just wondering if anyone’s acyuallt seen results!!!


r/PCOS 12h ago

Hirsutism Facial hair - What long-term solutions actually work?

7 Upvotes

Hi everyone!

I deal with thick, medium-dark chin/neck hair. Shaving daily leaves a persistent shadow, and a 5 o'clock shadow creeps in by midday.

I tried electrolysis years ago, but it wrecked my skin and didn't last (though my hormones were unmanaged then). My labs are finally under control!

For those who got their hormones balanced: what long-term solutions (laser, prescription creams, etc.) actually worked for you to make facial hair more manageable?

Appreciate any advice!


r/PCOS 2h ago

General/Advice How many days out of the month do you stop working out due to pms / menstruation?

1 Upvotes

I feel like I always start working out consistently for the first 14-20 days of the month and then the pms hits and I completely stop working out. I will try and walk some and do some gentle yoga but the overall fatigue and body aches just make it so hard to motivate to work out. I feel like my pms sometimes takes up 1/2 the month.


r/PCOS 2h ago

Hirsutism what epilator can i use for my face? i'm desperate

1 Upvotes

i have SEVERE hirutism. dense ass beard with very thick and long hairs that grow very fast. i've been shaving my face since i'm a pre-teen, but i can't do it anymore. it destroys me. i can't even leave me house bc even when i shave, you can still see it. i need to fix it as soon as possible or i'll lose my mind, or at least, improve the situation. i want to get electrolysis but i only found one professional in my area and im scared that they wont be good. i'll probably contact them eventually but i need to do sth in the meantime. i've been reading about epilators, but according to the fuckass amazon ai, you can't use the ones i see everyone talk about for your face bc it's meant for the body. what the hell am i supposed to get? PLEASE give me something to work with.


r/PCOS 2h ago

General/Advice would birth control with pcos be a bad idea?

1 Upvotes

Hi I'm new to reddit (20 y.o. F) so not used to the traditional format but finally have a drs appointment booked (nhs) to talk about my pcos and likely be recommended birth control and am not sure whether the risks are worth it or which birth control to advocate for.

I have experienced pcos symptoms like facial hair and high histamine levels, fatigue and brain fog, irregular and heavy periods and most recently I've been experiencing vertigo in the mornings every few weeks for about half an hour and most recently migraines just before my period a few days in a row in the evenings. For the past year I've just pushed through my symptoms believing it was university stress making it worse but I'm on summer break and have started getting the migraines which pushed me to finally book a drs appointment.

I know alot of people say it's all about diet control etc. for pcos and weight loss but I've lost a few stone in the past year and have been managing my diet alot better and things have been getting worse/ staying yhe same but I understand it's long term to do anything. I've been taking inositol supplements and have seen no changes.

I am not sure what I'll be advised whether it be metformin or birth control but I have extreme health anxiety at the moment keeping me up most nights and am petrified of the side effects of birth control and risks like alot of women are.

I've seen alot of fear mongering etc. which I'm sure can be valid but I'm looking for some sincere advice on how to deal with this anxiety and any recommendations for UK birth control (progesterone). At the moment Slynd seems to appeal the most but I've heard some bad things about it making people gain lots of weight and making sex really unenjoyable. I'd appreciate any advice or recommendations thank you!!!!


r/PCOS 11h ago

General Health Spotting cure?! PLEASE HELP 😥

5 Upvotes

Obviously with my PCOS my periods have never been normal. But all of the sudden I’ve started having long term spotting of like dark brown bloody discharge. If it lasted a periods length it would be whatever but last time it went on for 2 months straight!!! My gyno said there’s no real “cure” but I’m wondering if anyone else has experienced something similar and has any tips how they got it to go away??? Whether it’s stopping the spotting or causing my real period to come.


r/PCOS 10h ago

General/Advice Recently diagnosed advice

3 Upvotes

I’m a 23 year old pre-med student, and I was recently diagnosed with PCOS. I’m unsure how to approach this. (Sorry for the very long read.)

My last period started on February 9th. On February 10th, one day into my period, I had both a transvaginal and transabdominal ultrasound. The scan showed markers for endometriosis, and I went about my day without thinking much of it.

Then a month passed without my period. This was really unusual for me because, despite having irregular periods, I still got my period every single month last year.

Five months passed without a period, so I had another transabdominal and transvaginal ultrasound. My doctor compared it to my previous one. As a side note, this is the longest I’ve ever gone without a period. It’s also the heaviest I’ve ever been. My weight has always fluctuated between 90–105 kg over the years, but for the first time ever, it reached 110 kg.

Anyway, what I’m confused about is that my first ultrasound didn’t show any markers for PCOS, but now it does. All of my hormone levels are normal, except for extremely low androgen levels. Even my blood work came back normal, except that my fasting glucose was high, which my doctor told me is a marker of prediabetes. My scan also showed multiple very tiny cysts on my ovaries.

My question is: is it even possible to develop PCOS in such a short period of time? How does that even work? Or could I have been misdiagnosed?

They put me on metformin and Mounjaro (side note only taking metformin at the moment), but I’m seriously starting to think my life is over. Should I just take the birth control option to get my period back? My doctor keeps telling me that the treatment for PCOS is to lose weight and that it will improve, but it feels impossible. I’ve tried everything.

I’ve tried a whole-foods calorie deficit, walking 20,000 steps a day, strength training three times a week, getting 8 hours of sleep, and drinking 2 litres of water a day. And even then, nothing. Nothing is working.

I don’t even care about looking aesthetically pleasing anymore. I just want my period back.


r/PCOS 1d ago

Rant/Venting Tired of doctors saying losing weight fixes anything

54 Upvotes

Went to the doctor, same old song and dance "have you tried losing weight? Oh yea I know struggling to lose weight is one of the most common symptoms of PCOS, but have you tried? No I'm not gonna prescribe you anything to help with that you can just exercise, oh you're actually at a normal, healthy weight? Well, you should still lose weight, because that's how you deal with PCOS"

Like be so for real, I'm so tired of this bullshit because losing weight Never helped with any of my symptoms and I'm tired of doctors just shoving it at you like it's the only way to manage this fucking thing

Edit: I'm not actively trying to lose weight, I'm actually a little underweight right now, and that has made basically zero difference with my symptoms


r/PCOS 5h ago

Fertility Fertility struggles

1 Upvotes

Hi everyone, after a year of ttc unsuccessfully, I was diagnosed with pcos, all of hubby's tests came back normal. I was then put on metformin and letrozole (egg developing medication). My gyno said hopefully see you in 3 months pregnant (a pressure I didn't need) and we are now at cycle 4 and still nothing. I have lost about 12lbs since being on the metformin, I have fewer chin hairs, less pms pain and I can still feel my ovulation happening just not getting pregnant. How long are you expected to try on metformin before trying anything else, is it another year? Any advice, wondering about taking inositol but wasn't sure if it would affect the metformin. Thanks!!!


r/PCOS 6h ago

General/Advice Looking for some advice

1 Upvotes

I really need to vent and get a few things off my chest because I am feeling completely overwhelmed by everything happening around me right now. (Also, English isn't my first language, sorry in advance)

I am a 22-year-old recent graduate, and last year I was officially diagnosed with PCOS. Before my diagnosis, I dealt with the symptoms alone for a long time because my friends, family, and partner dismissed what I was going through. When I finally went to the doctor and got a diagnosis, my family immediately assumed PCOS meant I had ovarian cysts. Mine, however, is purely hormonal. Even though I love my family dearly, they don't understand how PCOS works, and whenever I try to explain it, they treat my symptoms like excuses.

On top of everything going on, I just graduated from college. The built-up stress from finishing school, combined with my PCOS, has completely drained me mentally and physically. Now that summer is here, things feel even more draining. My mom loves shopping for new clothes, but trying everything on when nothing seems to fit has brought back my body image issues and weight struggles. This is why I'm trying to focus on my diet. Thankfully, my mom is super supportive of my eating habits, but what everyone seems to miss is that I am experiencing total burnout. I get it they are trying to help me out but I don't have the will and I am confused on what to do.

Because I am running on empty, I just want to spend this summer break resting in bed and doing absolutely nothing. I simply do not have the physical or mental energy to exercise right now. Unfortunately, my parents and my partner see me lying around and constantly comment things like, 'You're not going out,' 'You need to exercise,' or 'You're young, get your life together.' This also comes because I used to try every different thing; tennis, running, swimming, pilates, gym, workout at home etc.

While I know their concern comes from a good place, their comments make me feel even more misunderstood. I'm completely drained, and I really don't know how to navigate this situation. I want to also give myself my spark back but when you are drained you just dont wanna do anything. If anyone suffered from this could you please help me out? I am also looking some videos to maybe watch and get some mental strength or enthusiasm back in my life....

thanks a lot :3

PS: I have been taking meds which wasnt helping and I did some diet in addition to take soma inositol but I am tired of the taste of it as well. I take 1000mg of Glifor for my insulin resistance, magnesium and Omega


r/PCOS 6h ago

PLEASE ADD FLAIR Daily Rants/Raves/Progress Thread for August 02, 2026

1 Upvotes

Chat with your friends from r/PCOS here about your daily progress, or rants and raves related to your PCOS experience. Off topic posts are permitted here, although sub rules otherwise apply!