The truth of the information 'each time insulin increases, it damages the ovaries' causes confusion

In recent days, the medical community and social networks have been stirred up by the statement of a Facebooker named "Doctor H." with more than 1.1 million followers, who said that "every time your insulin increases, you are harming your ovaries."

Doctor H. shared on his personal page with more than 1.1 million followers - Photo: Screenshot

"Does every increase in insulin damage the ovaries?"

This statement quickly caused controversy, causing many medical experts to speak out against it, saying that this information was incorrect and incomplete, and could cause people to seriously misunderstand the mechanism of action of the hormone insulin.

This doctor posted on his personal page: "Every time your insulin increases, you are harming your ovaries." Immediately after that, the professional community expressed outrage.

After facing a wave of criticism, this doctor removed the content, but did not provide any correction or further explanation. In addition, this doctor also received "attention" from experts because of many other controversial shares.

Talking about this information, Dr. Duong Minh Tuan, Department of Endocrinology - Diabetes, Bach Mai Hospital said that insulin is an essential hormone to maintain life. After each meal, insulin increases to help glucose enter cells, nourishing the brain, muscles, uterus and ovaries.

What harms the ovaries is not the increase in insulin after meals, but the chronic state of insulin resistance when cells become 'insensitive' to insulin, forcing the body to secrete more.

Prolonged insulin resistance is what stimulates the ovaries to increase androgen production, leading to ovulation disorders, irregular menstruation and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

"We cannot attribute insulin as the "culprit" that damages the ovaries because of that pathological mechanism," Dr. Tuan emphasized.

Warning about cutting out carbs completely to reduce insulin

Doctor H. recommends completely eliminating sugar and considering white rice, vermicelli, pho,... as sugar - Photo: Screenshot

In addition to his statement about insulin, the doctor also advised women to "completely cut out starch to reduce insulin." However, experts say this is dangerous advice.

"The brain, pituitary gland and ovaries all need glucose from starch to function normally. A diet that is too strict, especially a low-carb or keto diet for a long time, can cause amenorrhea, stop ovulation and have a negative impact on the embryo," Dr. Tuan analyzed.

There is currently no medical recommendation to completely eliminate starch to treat endocrine disorders. Instead, patients should reduce refined sugar, prioritizing complex starches with low glycemic index such as brown rice, sweet potatoes, oats, etc.

Some other content in this doctor's video also mentions intermittent fasting as a way to "heal the ovaries".

However, existing studies have only shown that fasting improves insulin resistance in overweight people, and there is no strong evidence that this method helps restore ovulation.

"Prolonged fasting can reduce leptin, insulin and IGF-1, leading to hypothalamic inhibition and ovulation cessation, which is especially dangerous for women with low BMI or who are trying to get pregnant," Dr. Tuan shared.

According to Dr. Tuan, the important thing is to maintain a healthy, balanced diet, lose weight appropriately if overweight (5-10%), exercise regularly and follow your doctor's instructions. There is no need for extreme fasting, no need to 'cut out all carbs', and certainly no need to be afraid of insulin.

According to experts, the statement 'every time insulin increases, it damages the ovaries' is fundamentally wrong.

In healthy people, increased insulin after eating is a completely normal and necessary physiological response. Only when the body is resistant to insulin for a long time - often seen in obese people, early stage type 2 diabetes, abnormally high insulin levels cause harm.

According to endocrinologists, in reality, many cases of polycystic ovaries are insulin resistant. However, experts say that saying "increased insulin damages the ovaries" without clearly stating the mechanism is very easy to misunderstand.

Women undergoing infertility treatment may feel confused and fearful every time they see an increase in insulin, while this is a natural reaction that helps the body function normally.

Experts all agree that, in the context of social networks becoming an increasingly popular source of reference for health, people who claim to be doctors must be more careful when sharing information. Each inaccurate statement can lead to serious consequences, causing people to misapply, directly affecting reproductive and mental health.

WILLOW

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/thuc-hu-thong-tin-moi-lan-insulin-tang-lam-hai-buong-trung-gay-hoang-mang-20251022215345413.htm