The PolyBiotics Journal

Cortisol has become the internet’s favourite hormone to blame. But is cortisol really the problem, or is chronic stress the bigger issue? In this article, we explore what cortisol actually does, the difference between true medical conditions like Cushing’s syndrome and Addison’s disease, the relationship between stress and magnesium, and why the wellness industry’s obsession with “lowering cortisol” may be oversimplifying women’s health. We also examine the rise of adaptogens like ashwagandha and rhodiola, and the lack of robust research in premenopausal women.

PCOS has officially been renamed PMOS: Polyendocrine Metabolic Ovary Syndrome. After 14 years of international debate, medicine is finally acknowledging that this condition was never just about ovaries. In this article, women’s health doctor Amina Hersi breaks down the good, the bad, and the uncomfortable reality behind the PMOS rename — from metabolic recognition and research funding to patient confusion, representation, and why Africa and Asia being underrepresented in the process matters more than most headlines are acknowledging.