The safety of  Spiractin (spironolactone) during pregnancy has not been established.

- Bi-Week 30 answers kindly provided by Dr. Stephan Volschenk -

• Which form of DHEA is meant for this purpose? It has not been clearly defined.
• Or can one take the DHEA supplement that Solal produces?  We have no experience with this product.
• Do one need a script for that? Yes.
• What is the correct dose to take?  If one takes 25 – 50mg of DHEA per day, surely it won’t cause negative side effects like acne, hair growth in female patients etc? 25mg three times a day
• Can it cause cancer in the long term? (even if a low dose is taken? I know the body should produce at least 2mg of DHEA on its own per day) At this stage we have no evidence to support this.

- Week 27 answers kindly provided by Dr. Stephan Volschenk -

Refer to answer to question 2.

- Week 27 answers kindly provided by Dr. Stephan Volschenk -

Proven supplements would be:

1.  Vitamin C
2. Vitamin E
3. Zinc

- Week 27 answers kindly provided by Dr. Stephan Volschenk -

Well balanced eating plans and lifestyles are of more value than socially fashionable supplement. These can be obtained from dieticians with a special interest in PCOS.

- Week 27 answers kindly provided by Dr. Stephan Volschenk -

Research into medical conditions is an ongoing thing and papers are published on a daily basis about new theories on possible ways to manage these conditions. The Vitamin D issue is an example of exactly this. This is just a theory and of no value until proven in rigorous trials. Some patients with PCOS seem to have a deficiency in Vitamin D. This is only a small percentage, and furthermore, it is unclear whether this is a cause or effect of the PCOS, or even related to the condition. Therefore for now it is totally irrelevant in the management of PCOS and therefore no dosages are known.

- Week 27 answers kindly provided by Dr. Stephan Volschenk -

There are 8 glyconutrients needed by cells to produce glycoprotiens These proteins in turn lead to better cell to cell communication which allows the body to function optimally. They are glucose, galactose, mannose, xylose, glucosamine, galactosamine and N-acetyl-neuraminic acid. If you google glyconutrients you will find South African e –commerce sites advertising different products.

- Week 14 answers kindly provided by Dr. Stephan Volschenk -

EFA’s are a very important part of a PCO’s daily requirements and the potential advantages numerous. It reduces all of the following: Inflammatin, heart disease,high blood pressure,high levels of trigliserides,the risk for developing diabetes, depression and stress. All of these are very relevant for the PCO patient. The best form are cod liver oil or EFa’s in capsule form.Wild, cold water ocean fish are especially rich in EFA’s, for e.g. Herring, salmon, sardines, anchovies and tuna.

- Week 8 answers kindly provided by Dr. Stephan Volschenk -

Fat burning supplements put the body in a state of increased metabolism and subsequently a state of tissue breakdown. This is not a normal physiological environment and theoretically not an ideal environment for normal physiological processes such as sperm production. This is only theoretical and there is no scientific evidence to support it at this stage – more deduction by common sense.

- Week 6 answers kindly provided by Dr. Stephan Volschenk -