Title says it all, pretty much - would a woman with PCOS (let’s say a powerlifter) have an advantage over one with a normal hormone balance? Would an athlete with PCOS be flagged for doping, or is the method of testing for steroids fine-tuned enough to rule it out?
I have PCOS and am no more or less strong than anybody else, and actually have other issues that tend to make me say hell no … higher risk of heart issues, diabetes, apnea.
Honestly, the extra male hormones can give us acne, obesity, facial and body hair issues, male pattern baldness, funky skin conditions, risk of certain cancers. It does not muscle us up like a steroid [though at times I can have pain induced roid rage desires to stomp the shit out of one more person who points out I am FAT and have a small moustache that needs a quick waxing]
I have PCOS too. The thing though, is that steroid use alone won’t lead to muscle gain - you have to work at it. The side effects for anabolic steroid use is very similar to PCOS symptoms (obesity, cholesterol problems, acne, etc.) Hence my question.
Considering how much PCOS messes with insulin (two of the chief indicators are insulin resistance and hyperinsulemia), I can’t imagine that there would be any athletic benefit to having it. There’s enough testosterone to aggravate acne and hirsuitism, but not enough to affect muscle mass.
I don’t mean to pick on you ladies, but I can speculate all here by my lonesome. I am looking for a more in depth answer.