The Best Supplements for PCOS

by Deborah Maragopoulos FNP | Feb 4, 2023 | PCOS, Blog | 0 comments

I’ve been asked many times what the best supplements are for PCOS. PCOS, or polycystic ovary syndrome, is an imbalance in sex steroids in women. PCOS is characterized by high levels of androgens, or male hormones, with very low or non-existent progesterone levels, which induces estrogen dominance.

Women with PCOS suffer from irregular periods, infertility, hirsutism, acne, and insulin resistance, which can lead to obesity and metabolic syndrome.

Supplements for PCOS

I have treated women with PCOS for over 30 years and helped them get their hormones in balance, reduce insulin resistance, and conceive. In addition, I have found that providing them with nutraceutical hypothalamic support can actually correct the underlying hormonal imbalances. Within a few months, their menstrual cycles regulate so they are able to conceive, excessive male pattern hair growth ceases, acne clears up, and insulin resistance reverses. So, they’re able to lose body fat and reduce their risk for metabolic syndrome.

The hypothalamus support I use is Genesis Gold®. It is designed to support the hypothalamus in a complete nutraceutical package, including hypothalamic amino acids.

Healing the hypothalamus takes at least 90 days (and longer if they’ve been suffering from polycystic ovary syndrome longer than a few years). Therefore, I offer women with PCOS extra support.

First, I give them supplements to help control their estrogen metabolism.

DIM is an IC3 indole extracted from cruciferous vegetables. DIM helps you metabolize estradiol into protective two hydroxyl estrone, rather than inflammatory 16 hydroxyl estrone.

Cal-d-glucarate is another supplement that functions in the gut to help detoxify estrogen.

Do you suffer from hirsutism and acne? Androgenic-controlling supplements, like saw palmetto, will help reduce the conversion of testosterone into dihydrotestosterone.

I may use supplements to help address insulin resistance. Noted by high blood levels of insulin, hemoglobin A1C, and C peptide. Berberine is very effective at helping reduce insulin resistance. It must be taken with meals. Chromium polynictonate is also taken with meals to help reduce insulin resistance as well.

Polycystic ovary syndrome can be controlled with proper supplementation, especially hypothalamic support. If you have any questions regarding supplements for PCOS, please join me in our Hormone Support Group, which you can access through my free Hormone Reboot Training.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Can your hypothalamus cause weight gain?

Yes. The hypothalamus is the master regulator of metabolism, controlling how your body stores and burns energy through its signaling to the thyroid, adrenals, and pancreas. When the hypothalamus becomes dysregulated by chronic stress, poor sleep, inflammation, or blood sugar instability, it defends a higher weight "set point" — causing the body to hold onto fat regardless of diet or exercise. This makes hypothalamic dysfunction an upstream root cause of stubborn weight gain.

What is a weight set point and why won't mine move?

A weight set point is the body weight your hypothalamus works to defend, calibrated over time by stress, sleep, hormones, and inflammation. When you diet, the hypothalamus perceives scarcity and responds by slowing metabolism, increasing hunger hormones, and suppressing satiety signals to return you to that set point. This is why most people regain lost weight within two to five years of conventional dieting — the set point itself was never recalibrated, only temporarily overridden.

Why do I gain weight under stress even when I'm not eating more?

Chronic stress raises cortisol, which disrupts blood sugar regulation, promotes abdominal fat storage, and signals the hypothalamus that the body is under threat. In survival mode, the hypothalamus defends fat stores and slows metabolism — so weight can increase even without any change in calorie intake. The stress chemistry, not the food, is driving the weight gain, which is why stress reduction is essential to any lasting metabolic reset.

Why do I regain weight after stopping GLP-1 medications?

GLP-1 medications work peripherally on appetite and gastric signaling, but they do not address the underlying hypothalamic dysregulation that sets your defended weight. Because the hypothalamic set point is never recalibrated, the body resumes defending its original weight once the medication stops — leading to significant regain. Long-term success requires restoring hypothalamic regulation so the set point itself lowers, rather than relying on appetite suppression alone.

How long does it take to reset your metabolism?

Genuine metabolic recalibration takes a minimum of 90 days, because the hypothalamus needs consistent signals of safety and sufficiency before it will lower its defended set point. This differs from a diet, which produces temporary suppression the body quickly corrects. A 90-day reset typically moves through three phases: stabilizing stress chemistry (days 1–30), rebuilding metabolic efficiency (days 31–60), and lowering the weight set point (days 61–90).

Why does my thyroid feel slow even though my labs are "normal"?

Under chronic stress, the body converts thyroid hormone into reverse T3, which blocks active thyroid receptors and slows metabolism at the cellular level — even when standard lab values appear normal. This means you can experience genuine symptoms of slow metabolism, such as fatigue, cold intolerance, and brain fog, while your thyroid panel looks unremarkable. Addressing the upstream hypothalamic and stress signaling often improves thyroid conversion and symptoms.

Is stubborn weight gain a willpower problem?

No. Stubborn weight gain is a signaling problem, not a willpower problem. The hypothalamus governs weight through survival mechanisms that operate below conscious control — defending its set point by slowing metabolism and increasing hunger when it perceives threat. No amount of discipline can override this system; lasting change comes from restoring hypothalamic regulation through reduced stress, balanced blood sugar, restorative sleep, and targeted nutritional support.

About the Author - Deborah Maragopoulos FNP

Known as the Hormone Queen®️, I’ve made it my mission to help everyone - no matter their age - balance their hormones, and live the energy and joy their DNA and true destiny desires. See more about me my story here...

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Last Updated: January 24, 2023