Archive · 17 Sep 2026
Experts Warn Crash Diets May Harm People Managing PCOS
Some people with PCOS try to lose weight by eating far too little.
This may make the body use muscles for energy instead of only using stored fat.
Eating too little can also cause missing nutrients, hair loss, constipation and low blood sugar.
Low blood sugar may make someone feel very hungry and lead to binge eating.
Crash diets are hard to continue, so people may regain the weight they lost.
Very fast weight loss can also disturb hormones and affect ovulation.
Experts say there is no single diet that works for everyone with PCOS.
They recommend eating balanced meals, choosing high-fiber foods, exercising, sleeping well and getting medical guidance.
A personalized plan is meant to be safer and easier to follow for a long time.
Prolonged extreme calorie restriction can cause muscle loss alongside fat loss, reducing lean body mass.
Restricting multiple food groups may lead to nutritional deficiencies, electrolyte imbalances, hair loss, constipation and blood sugar dips.
Crash diets are difficult to sustain and may cause rebound hunger and weight regain after restriction ends.
Rapid weight loss can affect pituitary hormones and lead to anovulation, when the ovaries do not release an egg.
Experts recommend individualized, medically supervised plans with balanced meals, exercise, sleep and regular medical consultations.
- Who
- People managing Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, along with comments from gynaecologist Sumana Datta and nutritionist Priyanka Goenka.
- What
- Experts warned that crash diets and extreme calorie restriction can cause health problems and recommended supervised, individualized nutrition plans instead.
- When
- The risks discussed arise during prolonged or rapid calorie restriction; the article also addresses diet advice encountered through current social media use.
- Where
- The comments were reported by My Kolkata, with Datta associated with Narayana Hospital and Goenka with Dame Health.
- Why
- Extreme restriction can cause muscle loss, nutritional deficiencies, hormone disruption, blood sugar swings and rebound weight gain.
Crash-Diet Approach
Supervised Balanced Approach
Calorie restriction
Crash-Diet Approach
Supporters of extreme restriction may view sharply reducing calories or removing foods as a quick way to lose weight and manage PCOS symptoms.
Supervised Balanced Approach
Experts cited in the article say adequate calories and balanced macronutrients are safer and more sustainable.
One-size-fits-all diets
Crash-Diet Approach
Social-media advice often promotes intermittent fasting, very low-carbohydrate diets or severe calorie restriction as broadly useful strategies.
Supervised Balanced Approach
Experts say each person and each PCOS experience is different, so nutrition should be tailored to individual symptoms and challenges.
Short-term results
Crash-Diet Approach
Crash diets may produce rapid initial weight loss.
Supervised Balanced Approach
The article says prolonged restriction can cause muscle loss and rebound weight gain, while a long-term lifestyle plan is preferred.
- Main concern
- Extreme calorie restriction may break down muscle as well as stored fat.
- Nutritional risks
- Restricting food groups can cause nutritional deficiencies and electrolyte imbalances.
- Other possible effects
- Reported risks include hair loss, constipation, blood sugar dips and binge eating.
- Hormonal effect
- Rapid weight loss may affect pituitary hormones and contribute to anovulation.
- Expert recommendation
- Use a medically supervised diet with adequate calories and balanced macronutrients.
- Suggested foods
- Experts mentioned high-fiber, low-GI carbohydrates, lean proteins and healthy fats.
- Lifestyle advice
- Tailored nutrition, regular workouts, good sleep timing, hunger cues and medical consultations were recommended.