PCOS and Bloating: Here are 3 Remedies You Can Start Today

It’s only 8 am, and you’re already bloated. You’ll have to plan your outfit around your engorged belly…again.

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But bloating is about a lot more than a swollen tummy you’re desperate to hide.

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Belly bloat is often uncomfortable, painful, and might signal underlying health issues. For instance, PCOS or irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) can lead to bloating.

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Luckily for us, bloating is a PCOS symptom that can be relieved through diet, exercise, and stress management. 

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Does PCOS cause stomach bloating 

Research shows PCOS causes stomach bloating because the disorder can make it harder to digest food.

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Anna Klepchukova, Flo’s chief medical officer, tells Cosmopolitan PCOS affects our gut composition and bowel function. 

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“Hormonal changes due to PCOS reduce gut flora and bile acids that help digestion and change the process of metabolism, or how our bodies convert foods and drinks into energy. Due to these changes in the body, bloating can result.”

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Before we go any further, I must add a disclaimer:

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Although PCOS can cause bloating, there may be other factors involved. For example, I have IBS; stress or certain foods almost always set off an episode. Also, depending on where I am in my cycle, I'm more – or less – bloated.

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We’ll get into a couple more of these triggers below. 

How to reduce bloating in PCOS: 3 steps

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A plan to reduce bloating will depend on your unique factors but will most likely include diet and exercise. 

1. Identify your bloat triggers

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Figure out the root cause of your bloating, recommends nutritionist Kim Pearson. Pearson outlines this approach to tackling bloating in The Sun:

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“If you suffer from bloating, it is wise to figure out your personal triggers, which may vary from one individual to another."

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Pearson adds that wheat, dairy, and processed foods typically bring about bloat because they’re harder to digest.

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“Some people can tuck into the bread at the start of a meal with no problem at all, whereas others will experience bloating from just one slice.”

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One way to identify triggers is to be aware of what you eat and how bloated you feel, writes dietician Jessica Cording in  Mind Body Green. Cording said tracking your meals and bloat levels helps you figure out the effects of stress, exercise, and other factors on your bloating.

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2. Eliminate bloat-causing foods 

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After you’ve identified your personal bloat triggers, try to cut out the foods that seem to cause your bloating.

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Nutritionist and fitness blogger, Maeve Madden, explains how diet helped her conquer PCOS and bloating.

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“I’ve experienced symptoms of IBS since childhood and was diagnosed with PCOS at uni but for me, following a low fodmaps diet has really helped. Ingredients such as onions, broccoli, cauliflower, cheese and anything containing gluten make me bloat and give me painful cramping.”

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Monash University released a 3 step fodmap diet guide and food list. They’ve also created a paid app you can use to check specific foods.

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I use the Low FODMAP diet A to Z foods app. It’s free and allows you to search for foods to review their fodmap status.

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Overall, I find a low fodmap diet too restrictive. However, it’s incredibly useful to pinpoint specific foods you know you must avoid. Personally, balsamic vinegar and red onion will pretty much always lead to bloating.

3. Exercise regularly 

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Implement a consistent, simple exercise routine to reduce PCOS bloating.

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Take a walk

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Walking can relieve bloating – that’s the advice from fitness editor Jenny Francis.

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Speaking to The Sun, Francis explains how even a short walk can tackle bloating:

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“A gentle 15 to 30-minute walk each day, or on days when you have eaten big meals, can help the passage of gas through your digestive tract and help move food through the stomach more quickly.

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“When the stomach empties faster, gas can move quicker into your small intestine and cause less bloating.”

Work your core 

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In addition to walking, building abdominal strength can also reduce gas.

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“Working the abs can also help beat the bloat, as having stronger abs can help move gas through the intestines quicker.

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“Try a circuit of 20 sit-ups, 20 Russian twists and holding a plank for a minute to build the core,” recommends Francis.

Practise yoga

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Yoga is a great form of physical activity to beat PCOS bloating. 

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Emma Krishnaswami, PCOS fitness coach, explains why yoga is such an ideal form of exercise for PCOS bloating.

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“The important thing with bloating is to stretch, twist, and elongate the abdominal muscles to get the blood flowing and trapped air moving, working with exercises that strengthen trunk control and then staying in stretching positions that release the core and pelvic muscles” 

Find the best PCOS bloating remedy for you

Bloating is a painful, embarrassing PCOS symptom. Fortunately, you can fix PCOS bloat.

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While the tips in this article can help you eliminate bloating, you should get medical advice if your bloating is particularly intense.

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As I always say on this blog, stories on the internet can be super helpful. I’ve found a lot of great remedies and experiences here. But I see this kind of online source as a supplement to personalised medical care.

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I’m now able to have informed discussions with my healthcare provider because I’ve done a lot of research and documented my experiences. That's my wish for you, too.

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