Naturopathic and Integrative Care for PCOS and Hormone Concerns: What Is Known
What the 2023 international PCOS guideline, inositol reviews and small yoga-and-naturopathy trials show, with what "hormone balance" claims can and cannot support.
Content last updated . This page has not been medically reviewed.
Irregular periods, acne, hair changes and fertility questions have many possible causes, so they deserve a proper medical assessment. The NHS says having these symptoms does not definitely mean you have the condition, but it is important to get them checked. [1] This page is general information, not medical advice.
A note on names
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the name most people search for. The NHS now calls it polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS) and says it used to be called PCOS. [1] We use PCOS here because that is the term in the research we cite.What standard care includes
The NHS says there is no cure, but treatments and lifestyle changes can help. [1] Its list of medical options includes the combined pill for irregular periods. [1] Self-care suggestions include a healthy, balanced diet, regular exercise and weight loss if you are overweight, and talking therapy if symptoms are causing depression or anxiety. [1]The 2023 international evidence-based guideline was developed with 39 professional and consumer organizations covering 71 countries. [2] It reports that the evidence has improved but remains of low to moderate quality, keeps its emphasis on healthy lifestyle, emotional well-being and quality of life, and highlights a very high prevalence of psychological features. [2] See PCOS for the condition overview.
PCOS can sometimes raise the risk of serious conditions, including type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, fatty liver disease and womb cancer, and the NHS says regular check-ups help. [1]
Who offers naturopathic care
NCCIH describes licensed naturopathic physicians as graduates of accredited naturopathic medical schools and traditional naturopaths as trained through non-accredited programs of varying length and content. [3] Licensing requirements vary across U.S. states and territories. [3] A license or certificate does not guarantee safe, effective treatment from any provider. [3] See how to verify a naturopathic or integrative credential.What the naturopathic trials found
A scoping review of whole-system naturopathic research (33 studies, 9,859 people) lists PCOS among the conditions where its authors judged naturopathic medicine effective. [4] We looked at what sits behind PCOS in that literature. In our PubMed search we found trials from India of combined "yoga and naturopathy" programs, which are not the same as care from a North American licensed naturopathic doctor:- A 2024 randomized trial enrolled 120 obese teenagers with PCOS: 10 days of naturopathy and yoga against a waitlist control group, measuring testosterone and other markers. [5]
- A 2018 trial at a government yoga and naturopathy college in Chennai, India allocated 50 patients to a 12-week program or a wait-listed control group, based on how soon they took part rather than by random draw. [6]
Evidence label: promising but limited. Both compared with waitlist rather than another active care, one lasted only 10 days, and participants could not be unaware of a lifestyle program. Several outcomes were laboratory or scan measures rather than pregnancy, periods or quality of life. We did not find a randomized trial of licensed-naturopath care for PCOS to read. A paper on a "live food" model came up, but its abstract was not available to us.
Supplements and "hormone balance"
Inositol is one popular supplement. A Cochrane review of 13 trials in subfertile women with PCOS found the evidence was of low to very low quality, and said it was uncertain whether myo-inositol improves live birth or clinical pregnancy rates. [7] That review covered women having fertility treatment, so it does not answer other questions such as periods or blood sugar. Evidence label: insufficient evidence for fertility outcomes."Hormone balancing" programs, saliva hormone panels and compounded hormones are claim-check topics: see bioidentical hormones and hormone testing in integrative practice and saliva hormone tests. Proper evidence not found in our search for a supplement-based "hormone balance" protocol shown to treat PCOS.
Frequently asked questions
Can naturopathy treat PCOS?
Small trials of combined yoga and naturopathy programs from India reported improvements against waitlist controls, but they are short and not comparable to licensed-ND care in North America. [5] [6]
Does inositol help with PCOS?
A Cochrane review of fertility-treatment trials rated the evidence low to very low quality and was uncertain about live birth rates. [7]
Is PCOS curable with diet?
The NHS says there is no cure, but treatments and lifestyle changes can help. [1]
Why is PCOS called PMOS now?
The NHS page says PMOS used to be called PCOS. [1]
Which symptoms should I get checked?
Irregular periods, hair changes, acne, weight changes or difficulty getting pregnant can have many causes, and the NHS says it is important to get them checked. [1]
More details: evidence, limits and cautions
The details behind this page: cautions, limits of the evidence and where sources disagree. Open any note to read it.
Who should check with a clinician first
- Anyone with irregular or absent periods, who is trying to conceive or who is pregnant.
- People taking prescribed medicine, who should not stop it on their own.
- Anyone with depression or anxiety symptoms. The NHS lists mental health problems among PCOS symptoms. [1]
If you are in crisis, call or text 988 in the United States, or call 911 in an emergency.