The Holistic prevention, management and treatment of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome: The Fertility Herb Red Clover

By Kyle J. Norton Health article writer and researcher; Over 10.000 articles and research papers have been written and published on line, including world wide health, ezine articles, article base, healthblogs, selfgrowth, best before it's news, the karate GB daily, etc.,.
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Some articles have been used as references in medical research, such as international journal Pharma and Bio science, ISSN 0975-6299.


                    Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome is defined as endocrinologic diseases among reproductive-age women caused by undeveloped follicles clumping on the ovaries that interferes with the function of the normal ovaries associated with a high risk for metabolic disorder(1) as resulting of enlarged ovaries(2), leading to hormone imbalance(excessive androgen and anti-müllerian hormone (AMH) )(1)(3)(4)(5), induced Hirsutism(6)(7), reproductive disorder(10(12)), risks of type 2 diabetes(9)(10)(11), metabolic syndrome(10)(12) and early cardiovasular disease(8)(13), acne(10)(14), endometrial cance(18)(19),weight gain and obesity(15)(16)(17). The syndrome effects over 5% of women population or 1 in 20 women.
Unfortunately, according to studies, women with PCOs after the reproductive age, are associated to  continuously increase risk of type II diabetes, with no increasing altered glucose tolerance(20), CVD and hypertension(21).

The prevention and management  In Herbal Medicine

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is unpreventable in Western medicine. Early diagnosis and treatment  may reduce risk of its complications, including infertility, metabolic syndrome, obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, stroke, etc.
        Reduce fat intake less than 30% of total calories with a low proportion of saturated fat and high in fiber from predominantly low-glycaemic-index-carbohydrate foods for patients with PCOs(827a). Calorie intake should be distributed between several meals per day with restricted intake of snacks and drinks(828).

                    The Fertility Herb: Red Clover


Red clover is an herbaceous, perennial plant, native to Europe, western Asia and northwest Africa, used traditional in treating whooping cough(945), respiratory problems, and skin inflammations(945). menopause symptoms(945)(946)(947) and inflammatory diseases such as atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease(944) by purifying the blood and clearing mucus from the lungs(948).

1. Isoflavones
Red clover contains isoflavonoid, one type of phytoestrogen used in regulating the levels of estrogen in the body by occupying the estrogen receptor site(949)(950)(951), through its estrogenic(951) and anti estrogenic(952) effects in hormonal balancing for a better chance for fertility(953).

2. Neuroprotective effects
Formononetin (FMNT), an isoflavone found  in red clover may be next potential candidate used for neurodegenerative disorders(958)(959) in central nervous system as it significantly attenuated the cell loss induced by induced by N-methyl-D-asparate (NMDA) in primary-cultured cortical neurons, according to the study by Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an(954). On central nervous system, the herb also was found effective in improve anxiety(955)(856), profuse sweating, insomnia, memory loss, decreased sexual drives(956), depression(957), etc.

3. Metabolic syndrome(967)
Women with PCOs are associated to increased risk metabolic syndrome such as metabolic syndrome risk factors high blood pressure, obesity, high cholesterol, and insulin resistance. Intake of red clover has shown effectively in reduced total serum cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels, triglyceride levels,  and increased high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol(960)(961), lowered cardiovascular risk(962)(963), improved obesity(964) and insulin resistance(965)(966).

4. The weight loss vitamin C
Vitami C found abundantly in red clover has shown strong evidneces epidemiologically in reducing weight loss for obese population, espexially for obese women with PCOs.

See The weight loss vitamin C for more details
[Vitamin C  and other nutrients deficiency not only is associated to the risk of Obesity(807) but also enhances the risk of lipids, inflammation and insulin resistance(808).
According to the research team at Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro, there is an associated link between Obesity and  Zinc and vitamins A and C concentration in in women from rural Mexico, in a fasting blood sample analysis (809).
Although genetic susceptibility to obesity is associated with gene polymorphisms affecting biochemical pathways which also impacted by specific foods and nutrients. According to Dr. Johnston CS., vitamin C depletion is associated to positively related to body mass, individuals with adequate vitamin C status oxidize 30% more fat during a moderate exercise bout than individuals with low vitamin C status(810)

Vitamin C, the protective effect against obesity
Endothelial dysfunction has found to be associated to the incidence of obesity(811). The study of 76 healthy subjects (50 men and 26 women aged 21-45 years) obese subject, showed a positive effect of vitamin C and indomethacin in reduced oxidative stress contributed to endothelial dysfunction in human obesity(812).
In the evaluation of the potential inhibitory activity on α-glucosidase and pancreatic lipase by Citrus spp. fruits of Spanish origin, grapefruit, contained higher contents of phytochemicals such as vitamin C, is found to have a great value for nutrition and treatment of diet-related diseases(813).
L-Ascorbic acid in the study, whether  would facilitate the anti-obesity effects of chitosan and psyllium husk in vivo, showed addition of vitamin C in diet  influenced the reduction in body weight gain and food efficiency ratio, and the increase in total fecal weight and fecal fat excretion in guinea pigs fed a high-fat diet(814)]

5. Immunity 
Epidemiological studies suggested that red clover processes tenacious anti oxidant(968)(969) and anti inflmmatory(970)(971) effects in fighting against bacterial and viral infection(972)(973) and inflammation(974), free radical(975)(976) causes of irregular cell growth(970)(977) and protecting DNA integrity(979).


Side effects
1. There are no side effects from red clover, but people takes the herb for the first time may experience headache, nausea, and rash(980).
2. Do not use red clover during pregnancy as the herb may increase the risk for vaginal prolapse before the term(981)
3. Risk of bleeding due to its anticoagulant effects(982).

Ovarian Cysts And PCOS Elimination
Holistic System In Existence That Will Show You How To
Permanently Eliminate All Types of Ovarian Cysts Within 2 Months   

References
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(2) A "kiss" before conception: triggering ovulation with kisspeptin-54 may improve IVF by Young SL.(PubMed)
(3.) Androgen hyperfunction and excessive heterosexual hair growth in women, with special attention to the polycystic ovarian syndrome by Lunde O¹.(PubMed)
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(6) [Current opinions on the etiology and pathophysiology of hirsutism].[Article in Polish] by Krysiak R¹, Kedzia A, Okopień B.(PubMed)
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(8) Polycystic ovary syndrome and insulin: our understanding in the past, present and future by Mayer SB¹, Evans WS, Nestler JE.(PubMed)
(9) Association of mean platelet volume with androgens and insulin resistance in nonobese patients with polycystic ovary syndrome by Dogan BA¹, Arduc A², Tuna MM¹, Karakılıc E¹, Dagdelen I¹, Tutuncu Y¹, Berker D¹, Guler S¹.(PubMed)
(10) Approach to the patient: contraception in women with polycystic ovary syndrome by Yildiz BO¹.(PubMed)
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(12) Prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in Slovak women with polycystic ovary syndrome and its relation to metabolic and reproductive abnormalities by Figurová J¹, Dravecká I, Javorský M, Petríková J, Lazúrová I.(PubMed)
(13) Role of Insulin Sensitizers on Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome: A Meta-Analysis by Thethi TK¹, Katalenich B², Nagireddy P³, Chabbra P⁴, Kuhadiya N⁵, Fonseca V¹.(PubMed)
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(19) Risk of cancer among women with polycystic ovary syndrome: a Danish cohort study by Gottschau M¹, Kjaer SK², Jensen A¹, Munk C¹, Mellemkjaer L³.(PubMed)
(20) Polycystic ovary syndrome: metabolic consequences and long-term management by Carmina E¹.(PubMed)
(21) Arterial stiffness is increased in asymptomatic nondiabetic postmenopausal women with a polycystic ovary syndrome phenotype by Armeni E¹, Stamatelopoulos K, Rizos D, Georgiopoulos G, Kazani M, Kazani A, Kolyviras A, Stellos K, Panoulis K, Alexandrou A, Creatsa M, Papamichael C, Lambrinoudaki I.(PubMed)
(827a) Diet and nutrition in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS): pointers for nutritional management by Farshchi H, Rane A, Love A, Kennedy RL(PubMed)
(828) The optimal diet for women with polycystic ovary syndrome? by Marsh K, Brand-Miller J.(PubMed) 
(944) Red clover extract: a source for substances that activate peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha and ameliorate the cytokine secretion profile of lipopolysaccharide-stimulated macrophages by Mueller M¹, Hobiger S, Jungbauer A.(PubMed)
(945) The University of Maryland medical  center
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(952) Phytochemistry and biological properties of glabridin by Simmler C¹, Pauli GF, Chen SN.(PubMed)
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(954) Neuroprotective effects of formononetin against NMDA-induced apoptosis in cortical neurons by Tian Z¹, Liu SB, Wang YC, Li XQ, Zheng LH, Zhao MG.(PubMed)
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(959) The phytoestrogenic isoflavones from Trifolium pratense L. (Red clover) protects human cortical neurons from glutamate toxicity by Occhiuto F¹, Zangla G, Samperi S, Palumbo DR, Pino A, De Pasquale R, Circosta C.(PubMed)
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(962) Isoflavones from red clover improve systemic arterial compliance but not plasma lipids in menopausal women by Nestel PJ¹, Pomeroy S, Kay S, Komesaroff P, Behrsing J, Cameron JD, West L.(PubMed)
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(964) Dried Pomegranate Potentiates Anti-Osteoporotic and Anti-Obesity Activities of Red Clover Dry Extracts in Ovariectomized Rats by Kang SJ^1,2, Choi BR³, Kim SH⁴, Yi HY⁵, Park HR⁶, Kim DC⁷, Choi SH⁸, Han CH⁹, Park SJ^10,8, Song CH^10,8, Ku SK^11,12, Lee YJ^13,14.(PubMed)
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(978) Formononetin induces apoptosis in PC-3 prostate cancer cells through enhancing the Bax/Bcl-2 ratios and regulating the p38/Akt pathway by Zhang X¹, Bi L, Ye Y, Chen J.(PubMed)
(979) The red clover (Trifolium pratense) isoflavone biochanin A modulates the biotransformation pathways of 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene by Chan HY¹, Wang H, Leung LK.(PubMed)
(980) Red clover(WebMD)
(981) Fertility and growth of nulliparous ewes after feeding red clover silage with high phyto-oestrogen concentrations by Mustonen E¹, Taponen S¹, Andersson M¹, Sukura A², Katila T¹, Taponen J¹.(PubMed)
(982) [Oral anticoagulants and medicinal plants. An emerging interaction].[Article in Italian] by Argento A¹, Tiraferri E, Marzaloni M.(PubMed)