The following list of herbs and supplements which are what I picked out of several of the PCOS books that I have, one of the books has a fairly good listing of natural remedies for PCOS. Remember though not all of the herbs or supplements listed here might be good for you to take. Before taking any herbs or supplements it is always best to consult with your doctor or someone who specializes in natural medicine.
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Agnus Castus (Chasteberry)
helps with: acne, breast tenderness, infertility, irregular or absent periods, hormone imbalance, mood swings, PMS symptoms, water retention
Aloe Vera
helps with: acne, diabetes, digestive disorders, dry skin, insulin resistance, obesity
Alpha-lipoic Acid
helps with: diabetes, insulin resistance, obesity
Antioxidant complex
helps with: acne, diabetes, infertility (especially zinc, selenium), insulin resistance, irregular or absent periods (especially zinc, selenium)
Astralagus
helps with: fainting and/or dizziness, fatigue, obesity
Bitter Melon
helps with: diabetes, insulin resistance
Black Cohosh
helps with: breast tenderness, depression, hot flashes/flushes, menstrual cramps, irregular or absent periods, irritability
Blue Cohosh
helps with: anxiety, irregular or absent periods, irritability, mental fogginess
Brewer’s Yeast
helps with: fainting and/or dizziness, fatigue, food cravings, insulin resistance, mental fogginess, nervousness
Burdock
helps with: acne, excess hair
Vitamin B Complex
helps with: acne (B6), adrenal health (B5), anxiety (B1), depression (B1, B6), diabetes (B1, B3, B6), excess hair, fainting and/or dizziness, fatigue (B3, B5), food cravings, hair loss, hormonal imbalance (B6), irregular or absent periods (B6, B12), Insulin Resistance (B1, B3, B6), irritability, lack of energy (B3), liver health, mental fogginess, mood swings (B6), obesity, poor memory (B1), skin and hair problems (biotin), sleep problems/insomnia, water retention (B6)
Chromium
helps with: acne, diabetes, food cravings, insulin resistance, mood swings, obesity
Cinnamon
helps with: insulin resistance, obesity
CLA (Conjugated Linoleic Acid)
helps with: diabetes, overweight
Co-enzyme Q10
helps with: fainting and/or dizziness, fatigue, obesity
Damiana
helps with: depression, fainting and/or dizziness, fatigue, hot flushes/flashes, irregular or absent periods, mental fogginess, mood swings
Dandelion
helps with: acne, diabetes, eating disorders, fainting and/or dizziness, fatigue, irritability, obesity, water retention
Dong Quai
helps with: anaemia, fainting and/or dizziness, fatigue, hot flashes/flushes, infertility, irregular or absent periods, mood swings, PMS symptoms
Essential Fatty Acids
helps with: acne (Omega-3), appetite control, breast tenderness (Omega-3), depression (Omega-3), diabetes, eating disorders (omega-3), fainting and/or dizziness (omega-3), fatigue (omega-3), food cravings (omega-3), hair loss (omega-3), heart health, hormonal balance, infertility (omega-3), insulin resistance (omega-3), irregular or absent periods (Omega-3), irritability (omega-3), mood swings (omega-3), obesity, skin and hair problems, water retention (omega-3)
Evening Primrose Oil
helps with: breast tenderness
Vitamin E
helps with: diabetes, hair loss, infertility, insulin resistance, irrigular or absent periods
Fenugreek
helps with: diabetes, insulin resistance, obesity
Flax Seed
helps with: breast tenderness, hair loss, hair and skin problems, insulin resistance, irregular periods, raised cholesterol levels, sluggish metabolism
Garlic
helps with: insulin resistance
Garcinia Cambogia
helps with: insulin resistance, weight loss
Gingko Biloba
helps with: mental fogginess
Gymnema Sylvestre
helps with: diabetes, insulin resistance
Horsetail
helps with: hair loss
Iron (should only be taken if doc recommends it)
helps with: cracks at the side of the mouth, fainting and/or dizziness, fatigue, hair loss, infertility, irregular or absent periods, pale complexion, sore tongue
Kelp
helps with: acne, hormonal imbalance, irregular or absent periods, obesity, thyroid health
L-carnitine
helps with: fainting and/pr dizziness, fatigue, insulin resistance, obesity
Lecithin Granules
helps with: irregular or absent periods, obesity
Licorice
helps with: acne, excess hair, irregular or absent periods, obesity
Living Sprouts
helps with: fainting and/or dizziness, fatigue
Magnesium
helps with: diabetes, fainting and/or dizziness, fatigue, hot flashes/flushes, insulin resistance, irritability, mood swings, sleeping problems/insomnia
Manganese
helps with: diabetes, infertility, insulin resistance, mood swings
Milk Thistle
helps with: acne, eating disorders, fainting and/pr dizziness, fatigue, hot flashes/flushes, irritability, liver health
Motherwort
helps with: breast tenderness, hot flashes/flushes, infertility, irregular or absent periods, irritability
Psyllium Husks
helps with: food cravings, insulin resistance, obesity
Red Raspberry Leaf
helps with: acne, hot flashes/flushes, infertility, irregular or absent periods
St John’s Wort
helps with: mild to moderate depression
Saw Palmetto
helps with: acne, excess hair
Shatawari
helps with: diabetes, irregular or absent periods
Siberian Ginseng
helps with: depression, diabetes, fainting and or/dizziness, fatigue, infertility, insulin resistance, irregular or absent periods, sleep problems/insomnia
Soy Concentrate (Isolates)
helps with: breast tenderness, hot flashes/flushes, irregular or absent periods, irritability
Spirulina
helps with: acne, depression, fainting and/or dizziness, fatigue, food cravings, insulin resistance, obesity
Tyiphala
helps with: obesity
Turmeric
helps with: diabetes, insulin resistance
Unicorn Root
helps with: infertility, irregular or absent periods
Unkei-to
helps with: irregular or absent periods
Valerian
helps with: sleeping problems/insomnia
Vanadium
helps with: insulin resistance
Wild Yam
helps with: hot flashes/flushes, infertility, irregular or absent periods, irritability
Zink
acne, eating disorders, fainting and/or dizziness, fatigue, infertility, insulin resistance, mood swings, obesity
Sources:
* PCOS DietBook – by: Colette Harris with Theresa Cheung
* Syndrome X: The Complete Nutritional rogram to Prevent and Reverse Insulin Resistance – by: Jack Challem; Burton Berkson, M.D.; and Melissa Daine Smith
* The New Glucose Revolution: Guide to Living Well with PCOS – by: Jennie Brand-Miller, PhD; Nadir R. Farid M.D.; Kate March R.D., C.D.E.