Lori74

I've been taking NAC for a couple of weeks now and have noticed that I've had increased facial hair growth, which is something I sure don't need. Does NAC act like insulin? If so, doesn't insulin increase androgens?? Has anyone else had a similar experience? should I stop taking it?

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--officially diagnosed Aug 2001, but struggled for years knowing but couldn't get an official diagnosis
--32, 206-200-150
--DS 10.16.05, our baby boy -- conceived after two years of acupuncture and herbs
--postpartum: all pcos symptoms out of control, trying gluc and flutamide

MagPie

Lori, my daughter and I have been taking NAC since last November. We haven't noticed any increased facial hair growth. I'm taking metformin and my daughter is taking diane-35 which is doing a fairly good job of controlling it for us. NAC is an altered form of an amino acid found in our food...it's altered to help increase absorption. NAC is believed to help increase insulin sensitivity in women with PCOS, so it shouldn't increase facial hair growth, but rather it might help improve it: Http://www.newhope.com/news.cfm?news=1244

PCOS is not a stable syndrome. Over time, some symptoms may decrease or disappear and some others might surface or become more severe. I don't know how old you are or what other medications you might be taking (if any) but my facial hair didn't become apparent until about my early thirties and worsened gradually over the following 10 years. I don't think the NAC is to blame...more likely it's the natural progression of PCOS.

Margaret