Thyroid Hormone Testing and Women’s Cycles – Dr Fiona McCulloch

Leave a Comment / Thyroid, Women's Health / drfionand

An interesting study recently gave us some interesting insight into how the time of a woman’s cycle can affect thyroid test levels.(1) Using 55 women as test subjects, researchers created a situation that mimicked ovulatory estrogen levels. Over the course of the study, it was discovered that when estrogen reached ovulatory levels, the thyroid-regulating hormone …

Thyroid Hormone Testing and Women’s Cycles – Dr Fiona McCulloch Read More »

The Cause of PCOS: AMH, Androgens and Other New Updates – Dr Fiona McCulloch

Leave a Comment / Fertility, PCOS, Weight and Metabolism / drfionand

I’ve received a *lot* of questions over the past few days after several major news outlets posted surprising news: The cause of PCOS has finally been discovered, and it’s high AMH (Anti-Müllerian hormone) during pregnancy.(1) This fascinates me because in addition to being a total nerd about PCOS, years ago,I wrote about the increased levels …

The Cause of PCOS: AMH, Androgens and Other New Updates – Dr Fiona McCulloch Read More »

Hidden PCOS Hormones: Adrenal Androgens – Dr Fiona McCulloch

Leave a Comment / Fertility, PCOS, Women's Health / drfionand

Androgen excess is one of the most misunderstood, yet most central and powerful markers of PCOS. Many leading researchers now consider it an absolute requirement of the condition, and it is thought that even in women with PCOS who do not have apparent hyperandrogenemia, this is because levels are either undetectable by commonly used laboratory …

Hidden PCOS Hormones: Adrenal Androgens – Dr Fiona McCulloch Read More »

Artificial Sweeteners Damage Blood Vessels and May Increase Diabetes Risk – Dr Fiona McCulloch

Leave a Comment / Health, Weight and Metabolism / drfionand

Artificial sweeteners such as aspartame are often used by people who are trying to lower their sugar intake. Since sugar has been linked to cardiovascular disease, obesity, and diabetes, these artificial substitutes are quite popular. They’re considered to be a healthier alternative to satiate sugary cravings, and are used in many diet sodas and low-calorie …

Artificial Sweeteners Damage Blood Vessels and May Increase Diabetes Risk – Dr Fiona McCulloch Read More »

The Future of PCOS Healthcare Talk by Dr. Fiona – Dr Fiona McCulloch

Leave a Comment / PCOS, Media / drfionand

I gave this talk at the 2017 PCOS Challenge symposium, and am now delighted to be able to share it with all of you via YouTube!Learn why PCOS is a special condition requiring a medical approach that takes different systems, different times in life, and each woman’s unique needs into consideration.(For those of you who …

The Future of PCOS Healthcare Talk by Dr. Fiona – Dr Fiona McCulloch Read More »

The Pregnenolone Steal: A Closer Look at this Popular Concept – Dr Fiona McCulloch

PCOS, Fertility, Thyroid, Women's Health / drfionand

The pregnenolone steal has been taught in the world of functional and naturopathic medicine for many years. Although it seems to provide a nice explanation of how stress can impact hormones it is important to re-examine its validity in an era where we have rapidly increased our knowledge. What is the Pregnenolone Steal? The pregnenolone …

The Pregnenolone Steal: A Closer Look at this Popular Concept – Dr Fiona McCulloch Read More »

Magnesium Deficiency and Vitamin D – Dr Fiona McCulloch

Leave a Comment / Health, Immune System, Women's Health / drfionand

Balancing magnesium (Mg) and vitamin D properly is essential for maintaining healthy organ functions. Vitamin D helps to regulate calcium and phosphate balance for healthy bones [1-6]. Skeletal muscles, heart, teeth, bones, and many other organs require magnesium to sustain their physiologic functions. This is where it gets tricky: magnesium is needed to activate vitamin …

Magnesium Deficiency and Vitamin D – Dr Fiona McCulloch Read More »

Fish Oil VS Flax Oil For Depression: Which is More Effective? – Dr Fiona McCulloch

Leave a Comment / Health, Women's Health / drfionand

Fish oil is one of the most popular, all-around beneficial supplements. Studies have proven that supplementing one’s diet with Omega-3 fatty acids—particularly EPA and DHA—improves people’s moods.Some people, particularly those who prefer a plant-based diet, take flax oil instead, as it also contains Omega-3 fatty acids. That said, is flax oil as effective as fish …

Fish Oil VS Flax Oil For Depression: Which is More Effective? – Dr Fiona McCulloch Read More »

Vitamin D Deficiency’s Role in PCOS and Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis – Dr Fiona McCulloch

Leave a Comment / Auto Immune, Autoimmune, Immune System, PCOS / drfionand

Vitamin D is crucial for metabolism, insulin sensitivity, and hormonal health, and chances are you’re not getting enough of it. Here in Canada especially, it’s nearly impossible to have sufficient vitamin D in wintertime. Tests from patients at our Toronto clinic show very low levels of this vitamin, and most of them take less than …

Vitamin D Deficiency’s Role in PCOS and Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis – Dr Fiona McCulloch Read More »

Green Tea Supplement Better Than Metformin for Metabolic Markers in Women – Dr Fiona McCulloch

Leave a Comment / PCOS, Weight and Metabolism / drfionand

A significant number of women with PCOS take Metformin to manage insulin resistance, but a recent study has shown that green tea extract actually outperforms the prescribed drug in lipid profile and glycemic control. 120 women with high BMI took part in this double-blind trial. The participants were randomized, and were given one of the …

Green Tea Supplement Better Than Metformin for Metabolic Markers in Women – Dr Fiona McCulloch Read More »