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"'PCO] is something of
a mystery--we don't yet know what causes it or the best way to treat
it."-----Dr. Andrea Dunaif, Chief of the Division of Women's
Health, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston.
That was on July 25, 1998.
Since then we checked the medical literature and found precious little
more. (3/25/01,) we also called a scientist and endocrinologist who
said,"There is no standard treatment." When pressed for
suggestions, he had none.
So what's to do--short of
the surgery sometimes done? PCO is caused by an over-production of the
male hormone, testosterone, and often manifests itself in facial hair,
acne, weight gain and even infertility.
We do not offer medical
advice. But it does seem that to reduce testosterone, it may be helpful
to use a substance, preferably a harmless one, that reduces the
conversion of testosterone in the body to dihydrotestosterone, the
active form.
What does that are called
(more heavy words,) 5-a reductase inhibitors, whose action aids in
reducing hair loss and urinary retention in men. It is called
finasteride.and is found in Proscar and Propecia.
One should ask one's
physician about this.
Are there foods that do the
same thing? Fortunately,
yes. One. Soy beans contain
genistein, which is also a 5-a reductase inhibitor.
DETAILS:
The condition in men that leads to premature hair loss and urinary
retention, even to pain during urination is called BPH, benign prostatic
hyperplasia (whew!)
FURTHER ARTICLES ON SOY
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