TY - JOUR
T1 - Nutritional Supplements and Complementary Therapies in Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
AU - Alesi, Simon
AU - Ee, Carolyn
AU - Moran, Lisa
AU - Rao, Vibhuti Samarth
AU - Mousa, Aya
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 The Author(s). Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Society for Nutrition.
PY - 2022/7
Y1 - 2022/7
N2 - Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) affects 1 in 5 women of reproductive age, and is characterized by menstrual irregularities, clinical or biochemical hyperandrogenism, and the presence of polycystic ovary morphology. One of the recommended treatment strategies in the international evidence-based guidelines is lifestyle modification, which includes diet and exercise, with the aim of improving a range of health outcomes. The incurable nature of PCOS reinforces the importance of developing novel and innovative symptomatic relief strategies, which are currently the only available approaches for improving quality of life for these women. Women with PCOS tend to be nutrient deficient in many common vitamins and minerals, thought to be associated with the psychological (depression, anxiety, etc.) and physiological (insulin resistance, diabetes, infertility, etc.) sequelae of the condition. Nutrient supplementation and the integration of complementary medicine as adjuncts to traditional lifestyle-based therapies in PCOS could therefore provide additional benefits to these women. In this review, we synthesize the evidence regarding nutrient supplementation and complementary therapies in PCOS, predominantly from randomized controlled trials, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses, to provide an overview of the state of knowledge in this field. The evidence to date suggests that specific vitamins (B-12, inositols, folate, vitamins D, E, and K), vitamin-like nutrients (bioflavonoids and α-lipoic acid), minerals (calcium, zinc, selenium, and chromium picolinate), and other formulations (melatonin, ω-3 fatty acids, probiotics, and cinnamon), as well as some complementary approaches such as acupuncture and yoga may be beneficial in PCOS. However, there remain areas of uncertainty and key limitations in the literature that must be overcome before these therapies can be integrated into routine clinical practice.
AB - Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) affects 1 in 5 women of reproductive age, and is characterized by menstrual irregularities, clinical or biochemical hyperandrogenism, and the presence of polycystic ovary morphology. One of the recommended treatment strategies in the international evidence-based guidelines is lifestyle modification, which includes diet and exercise, with the aim of improving a range of health outcomes. The incurable nature of PCOS reinforces the importance of developing novel and innovative symptomatic relief strategies, which are currently the only available approaches for improving quality of life for these women. Women with PCOS tend to be nutrient deficient in many common vitamins and minerals, thought to be associated with the psychological (depression, anxiety, etc.) and physiological (insulin resistance, diabetes, infertility, etc.) sequelae of the condition. Nutrient supplementation and the integration of complementary medicine as adjuncts to traditional lifestyle-based therapies in PCOS could therefore provide additional benefits to these women. In this review, we synthesize the evidence regarding nutrient supplementation and complementary therapies in PCOS, predominantly from randomized controlled trials, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses, to provide an overview of the state of knowledge in this field. The evidence to date suggests that specific vitamins (B-12, inositols, folate, vitamins D, E, and K), vitamin-like nutrients (bioflavonoids and α-lipoic acid), minerals (calcium, zinc, selenium, and chromium picolinate), and other formulations (melatonin, ω-3 fatty acids, probiotics, and cinnamon), as well as some complementary approaches such as acupuncture and yoga may be beneficial in PCOS. However, there remain areas of uncertainty and key limitations in the literature that must be overcome before these therapies can be integrated into routine clinical practice.
KW - complementary medicine
KW - diet
KW - minerals
KW - nutraceutical
KW - nutrition
KW - PCOS
KW - polycystic ovary syndrome
KW - review
KW - supplementation
KW - vitamins
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85135421086&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1093/advances/nmab141
DO - 10.1093/advances/nmab141
M3 - Review Article
C2 - 34970669
AN - SCOPUS:85135421086
SN - 2161-8313
VL - 13
SP - 1243
EP - 1266
JO - Advances in Nutrition
JF - Advances in Nutrition
IS - 4
ER -