10 Natural Remedies for PCOS

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a hormonal disorder that affects up to 12% of women in the U.S. It’s the most common hormonal disorder in women of reproductive age. It can lead to symptoms like irregular periods, infertility, and weight gain, in addition to acne and abnormal hair growth.

If you have PCOS, your healthcare team will likely recommend medications that affect your insulin and hormone levels. But not everyone likes the idea of taking prescription medications.

The good news is that there are natural treatment options — from supplements to lifestyle changes — that can help you manage your PCOS. 

“The management of PCOS is individualized,” said Dr. Carly Kelley, an endocrinologist at Duke Health. “There’s no ‘cure’ or ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach.” 

She added: “Treatment is aimed at symptom management and the symptoms that are most important to each individual patient. That may also change over time throughout the patient’s lifespan.”

Let’s review the most commonly used natural remedies and supplements for PCOS and how effective they are.  

1. Berberine

Berberine is a compound extracted from plants. Berberine in PCOS has been shown to:

• Increase rates of pregnancy 

• Improve insulin resistance 

• Reduce male sex hormone levels 

• Reduce inflammation

Some healthcare professionals recommend using berberine with metformin (or other diabetes medications) since it has an additive effect. This means the medications help each other work better than if they were used alone.

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2. Chromium

Chromium is a naturally occurring element that helps with some metabolic functions in your body. Dietary sources of chromium, like some grains, are absorbed poorly.

Supplementation, in the form of chromium picolinate, improves insulin sensitivity and blood sugar in people with diabetes. Chromium also helps in weight loss and increases ovulation.

3. Inositol

Inositol is a substance that already exists in your body. It helps insulin do its job of managing blood sugar. Inositol exists in nine different structures, called isomers. Specifically, supplementation with Myo-inositol and D-chiro-Inositol in PCOS have been shown to help insulin resistance and balance hormone levels.

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Dr. Kelley recommends inositol for “women with PCOS who are looking for alternatives or supplements to conventional medical treatments.” The goal here, she said, is to:

• Lower insulin resistance

• Regulate periods

• Promote ovulation and fertility

4. Herbal remedies

Some medicinal herbs — like cinnamon and turmeric — contain active compounds that can affect blood sugar levels and insulin resistance. Small studies suggest they may be helpful for people with PCOS, but the evidence isn’t robust. As such, experts don’t routinely recommend them at this time.

5. Probiotics and synbiotics

Probiotics and synbiotics (a mix of prebiotics and probiotics) provide good bacteria that help regulate gut function. They also help regulate overall inflammation. 

The balance of bacteria in your gut has an effect on body weight, insulin, and glucose regulation. By reducing inflammation, these supplements may help with hormonal balance and fertility in PCOS. 

6. Weight loss

Women with PCOS are more likely to carry excess weight. This is likely due to a combination of factors, including genetics, environment, and lifestyle. And research shows that weight loss can help PCOS. It has been shown to improve insulin resistance and menstruation changes in people with PCOS.

Weight loss, exercise, and a nutritious diet are also key to managing both the symptoms and potential complications of PCOS, such as: 

• High blood pressure

• Stroke

• Heart disease 

• Sleep apnea

• Fatty liver disease

That said, everyone has a different relationship to their body and weight. And weight loss doesn’t have to be a health goal if it doesn’t feel right for you. But the actions commonly associated with weight loss — like balanced eating and increased activity — can help with PCOS symptoms.

7. Diet

A nutritious and balanced diet can help some of the hormone changes that happen with PCOS. No one specific diet is proven to be better than another. The key is to eat a complete, balanced diet full of nutritious foods.

Dr. Kelley recommends sticking with foods low in glycemic index and high in fiber content. Fiber helps prevent spikes in blood glucose and insulin levels. It also smooths out digestion and increases satiety (feeling full and satisfied).

“Overall, the best diet is the one you can stick to and sustain,” said Dr. Kelley. She recommends a diet low in saturated and trans fats, processed foods, and simple sugars. And the diet should be high in fruits, vegetables, and healthy proteins. 

Soy products don’t have any effect on estrogen levels or fertility, so they can be a part of a balanced diet.

8. Exercise

Experts recommend plenty of exercise for anyone with PCOS. One benefit is that it can help improve fertility. Exercise can also help regulate blood sugar, support weight management, and improve cholesterol, among other health benefits.

There isn’t one type of exercise better than another, so choose what you’re most likely to stick with. Shoot for at least 30 minutes of activity each day, most days of the week. But at the end of the day, any movement is better than none.

9. Lifestyle changes

In addition to diet and exercise, there are other steps you can take on your own. This may include:

• Stress management

• Yoga

• Improved sleep habits

• Mindfulness exercises

• Psychological support, if needed

While poor sleep and stress don’t cause PCOS, addressing them may help your symptoms. Taking care of your emotional well-being is also important. These steps may not seem like much at first. But small, consistent adjustments can really make a difference — especially in combination with exercise and nutrition.

10. Acupuncture

Some believe acupuncture can help increase ovulation in people with PCOS. But there's currently no solid evidence showing that acupuncture helps with ovulation and fertility. When compared with metformin, it doesn’t have an advantage in terms of markers like blood glucose or insulin resistance. 

Medications to treat PCOS

You may feel strongly that alternative treatments for PCOS are the best choice for you. But it still helps to know some of the traditional medications used for PCOS so you can have an open conversation with your healthcare team. These treatments include:

• Hormonal contraceptives like birth control pills and other alternatives can help regulate your hormone levels. This can help with your periods, acne, and hair growth.

• Metformin is a diabetes medication used to help manage insulin resistance, which is one of the changes in the body that happens with PCOS.

• Spironolactone can help block some of the effects of increased male sex hormones (like testosterone), another change that can happen in PCOS. This can help with acne and unwanted facial hair growth. 

• Clomiphene (Clomid) and letrozole (Femara) are used to help people ovulate when they’re trying to get pregnant. This can help with the fertility challenges of PCOS.

What questions should you ask your doctor about PCOS natural treatment?

It can be intimidating to discuss natural treatment options for PCOS with your healthcare team. But it’s important, especially with supplements and herbal remedies.

There are a few reasons for this, so consider asking about:

• Efficacy: Some alternative treatments may work better in combination with more traditional treatment options.

• Side effects: Supplements and herbs can cause side effects. 

• Medication interactions: They may affect how your other medications work.

Natural treatments aren’t necessarily good options for everyone. It’s important to know which might be better for you specifically. It’s important to keep these in mind when discussing your options.

Dr. Kelley encourages her patients to pay attention to the different aspects that can affect PCOS. “Lifestyle modifications are the main approach and a core component of treatment … and go a long way,” she said. For example, you can focus on the following adjustments:

• Weight loss

• Diet

• Exercise

• Sleep

• Stress management

• Mental health 

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Written by:

Nicole Andonian, MD

Nicole Andonian, MD, is a private practice anesthesiologist in Orange County, California. Her focus is in general anesthesia, regional anesthesia, and acute pain management.

Edited by:

Katie E. Golden, MD

Katie E. Golden, MD, is a board-certified emergency medicine physician and a medical editor at GoodRx.

Reviewed by:

Mandy Armitage, MD

Mandy Armitage, MD, has combined clinical medicine with her passion for education and content development for many years. She served as medical director for the health technology companies HealthLoop (now Get Well) and Doximity.

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