YouTuber EnjoyPhoenix suffers from polycystic ovary syndrome

It started with the return of her acne, despite stopping her pill. Since March, the youtubeuse EnjoyPhoenix has been discreet on the video platform and social networks. On April 3, Marie Lopez, her real name, posted a video in which she explains this absence. She reveals that she learned that she suffered from a disease: polycystic ovary syndrome. PCOS affects 5-10% of women. That’s about as much as endometriosis.

Polycystic ovary syndrome, what is it?

Polycystic ovary syndrome is caused by a hormonal imbalance, characterized by high levels of testosterone in the body. This disrupts egg production, making PCOS the number one cause of fertility disorders in women. There can be many consequences, such as late onset of puberty, irregular menstrual cycles, excessive body hair. Polycystic ovary syndrome can cause more serious problems, such as type 2 diabetes.

The origin of the syndrome is still unknown

Although doctors know that it is a hormonal disorder, the causes of this disorder are not precisely known. Last December, researchers found that genetic pathways identified in PCOS patients were linked to other disorders, such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, menopause and depression. In May 2018, a team of researchers, led by Paolo Giacobini from Inserm (National Institute for Health and Medical Research), demonstrated that PCOS comes from exposure before birth to a growth factor, l anti-mullerian hormone. In this way, the female fetus displays a high level of testosterone, and therefore it becomes “masculinized”, resulting in the hormonal disorder linked to PCOS.

There is still no treatment

The Inserm team is currently conducting trials on a treatment, which was effective in mice. Until it proves itself on women, there is not yet an effective drug. When a gynecologist diagnoses polycystic ovary syndrome in a woman, he usually prescribes a dosed birth control pill, or another contraceptive with hormones, as EnjoyPhenix explains in his video.