Although not everyone with PCOS experiences weight gain, about 75 percent have unwanted weight gain, especially in the midsection, as a symptom of PCOS, Dr. Nachtigall explained. "Many people with PCOS also have insulin resistance, where they're less sensitive to their own insulin," she said. Although the two tend to go hand in hand, she explained that there's no clear evidence as to whether PCOS causes insulin resistance, or insulin resistance leads to PCOS.
"There are probably two types of people: some who the insulin resistance is the first problem, and some who the PCOS is the problem," she said. "They all look very similar, and they have the same problem, which is that they're not ovulating." If you have experienced unexplained weight gain, have been at a higher weight for most of your life, or are having difficulty losing weight, it could be a symptom of PCOS.
