PCOS and nutritional approaches: Differences between lean and obese phenotype

Abstract

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is an endocrine/metabolic disorder with an ever-increasing prevalence. It has various clinical characteristics; the cardinals are androgen excess, oligo-anovulatory infertility, polycystic ovaries, insulin resistance (IR), and cardiometabolic alterations. These disturbances are a consequence of PCOS's complex etiology. PCOS is mainly related to women with obesity; however, there are many PCOS lean patients too. Even though they share some aspects in their metabolic profiles, each group has individual differences in body composition and other parameters. Thus, in order to achieve successful therapeutic strategies, they should be tailored to these details. The authors reviewed PubMed's updated and related publications about body composition and nutritional strategies for PCOS lean and obese patients. As previous reports have determined, dietary patterns are essential in PCOS treatment. Several diets have been studied to control and improve IR, infertility, and cardiometabolic dysfunctions in PCOS. This review will explain the specific features in metabolic characterization and body composition among these patients. Finally, the diverse nutritional strategies used in women with PCOS will be analyzed depending on their lean or obese phenotype.

Effects of Soy Isoflavones, Resistant Starch and Antibiotics on Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)-Like Features in Letrozole-Treated Rats

“…and herbal medicines such as tea, cinnamon, spearmint, Chinese peony, liquorice, chestberry, etc. have been extensively investigated as novel therapies for use in women with PCOS [15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26].…”

Association of Macronutrients Composition, Physical Activity and Serum Androgen Concentration in Young Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

“…In adolescents, depending on the criteria used, PCOS is diagnosed in 3.4%, 8% and 11% (based on criteria of the National Institutes of Health, Androgen Excess and Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Society, and Rotterdam, respectively) [ 1 ]. It is also the most frequently diagnosed endocrine disorder in obese women [ 4 , 5 ].…”

“…As mentioned above, more than half of women with PCOS live with overweight and obesity [ 17 ]. Abdominal obesity, in turn, is linked to increased IR, alterations of carbohydrate and lipid metabolism, chronic inflammation, and increased risk of developing hypertension [ 5 ]. In general, the metabolic profile observed in PCOS is very similar to that of metabolic syndrome [ 5 ].…”

“…Abdominal obesity, in turn, is linked to increased IR, alterations of carbohydrate and lipid metabolism, chronic inflammation, and increased risk of developing hypertension [ 5 ]. In general, the metabolic profile observed in PCOS is very similar to that of metabolic syndrome [ 5 ]. Notably, normal-weight patients diagnosed with PCOS present similar metabolic risks as obese women [ 5 , 18 ].…”

“…In general, the metabolic profile observed in PCOS is very similar to that of metabolic syndrome [ 5 ]. Notably, normal-weight patients diagnosed with PCOS present similar metabolic risks as obese women [ 5 , 18 ]. The goals of PCOS treatment comprise the normalization of androgen excess, restoration of normal ovulation and fertility, and also the prevention of delayed cardiovascular (e.g., coronary disease), metabolic (e.g., obesity, T2DM, metabolic syndrome) or oncological (e.g., endometrial cancer) comorbidities.…”