PCOS Related Conditions Print The Relationship Between PCOS and Inflammation Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Meredith Shur, MD on August 05, 2016 Meredith Shur, MD, FACOG, is board-certified in obstetrics and gynecology, as well as a certified medical examiner. Learn about our Medical Review Board Meredith Shur, MD Written by facebook twitter linkedin Written by Nicole Galan, RN Nicole Galan, RN, is a registered nurse and the author of "The Everything Fertility Book." Learn about our editorial policy Nicole Galan, RN Updated on November 06, 2019 Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Overview Symptoms Causes Diagnosis Treatment Fertility Jose Luis Pelaez Inc / Getty Images Inflammation occurs when your body’s natural immune system, composed of white blood cells and other factors, reacts to a foreign substance in an attempt to protect your body from a perceived threat. Unfortunately, sometimes your body's inflammation response gets triggered inappropriately and causes your immune system to react to your own tissues and cells. Understanding Inflammation This inflammatory response can cause different symptoms such as swelling, pain, fatigue, and headaches. Inflammation isn’t just associated with the joints and muscles, as is commonly seen in rheumatoid arthritis or gout, it can also occur in the internal organs. Other systemic conditions caused by inflammation include colitis (inflammation of the colon) and myocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle). In addition to imaging studies like X-rays or CAT scans, a blood test looking for a protein called C-reactive protein (CRP) can be used to detect inflammation. When elevated, CRP can indicate that an inflammatory response is occurring in the body, though it can’t identify where the inflammation is. PCOS and Inflammation Several studies have found that people with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) are more likely to have elevated levels of CRP compared to those without the condition. This suggests that some form of inflammation is happening in the body. If you have PCOS, you may also have high levels of other markers for inflammation like oxidative stress, inflammatory cytokines, and white blood cells called lymphocytes and monocytes. All of these factors are involved in the immune response and are also found during inflammation. Elevated levels of CRP are also associated with diabetes, insulin resistance, and heart disease―conditions which are more common in those with PCOS. Lowering Your Risk If you have PCOS, you can start easing inflammation through lifestyle changes. One of the best ways to do this is through a healthy diet that includes anti-inflammatory foods. Studies show that people with PCOS who followed a Mediterranean style anti-inflammatory diet for three months lost 7 percent of their body weight and showed significant improvements in their cholesterol, blood pressure, and inflammatory markers. A proper Mediterranean diet is designed to be low-calorie, low-fat, low-saturated fat, have a low-glycemic index, and moderate to high fiber intake. The diet also emphasizes anti-inflammatory foods such as fish, legumes, nuts, olive oil, herbs, spices, and green tea. Supplementing your diet with omega-3s, the best-absorbed form of fish oil can also help reduce inflammation. Other ways to reduce PCOS-related inflammation include regular exercise, practicing mindfulness, and other stress-reducing activities. Lastly, make sleep a priority. Getting eight to nine hours of sleep each night can help your body fight inflammation as well as rest. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Sign up for our Health Tip of the Day newsletter, and receive daily tips that will help you live your healthiest life. Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit Article Sources Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial policy to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Lab Tests Online. C-Reactive Protein (CRP). American Association for Clinical Chemistry. Updated July 9, 2018. Blumenfeld Z. The possible practical implication of high CRP levels in PCOS. Clin Med Insights Reprod Health. 2019;13:1179558119861936. Published 2019 Jul 22. doi:10.1177/1179558119861936 Salama AA, Amine EK, Salem HA, Abd El Fattah NK. Anti-inflammatory dietary combo in overweight and obese women with polycystic ovary syndrome. N Am J Med Sci. 2015;7(7):310–316. doi:10.4103/1947-2714.161246 Additional Reading Agacayak E, Tunc SY, Sak S, et al. Levels of neopterin and other inflammatory markers in obese and non-obese patients with polycystic ovary syndrome. Med Sci Monit. 2015;21:2446–2455. Published 2015 Aug 20. doi:10.12659/MSM.894368 Continue Reading