Role of Vitamin D in Etiopathogenesis and Metabolic Abnormalities Seen in Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome

Abstract

Objective: Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is a common cause of ovarian dysfunction in women in reproductive age group. It is now the leading cause of infertility among premenopausal women. PCOS women usually suffer from metabolic disturbances and insulin resistance (IR). Vitamin D has shown a significant role in glucose and insulin metabolism. Correlation studies have been done to examine the role of vitamin D in PCOS. However, still, Vitamin D status in PCOS remains varied.
 This study is an attempt to find out the association of Vitamin D with etiopathogenesis and metabolic risk factors seen in PCOS.
 Methods: Hundred subjects (50 PCOS and 50 age-matched normal control) were recruited for the study. Difference in biochemical parameters in PCOS women and normal group was measured, and association of Vitamin D with etiological and biochemical parameters in PCOS was seen.
 Results: There was a significant (p<0.001) increase in body mass index, serum insulin, fasting blood sugar (FBS), serum cholesterol, triglyceride, and low-density lipoprotein in PCOS. IR was observed in PCOS cases (homeostatic model assessment for β-cell function and IR = 6.40±1.96) compared to the control group (2.43±0.53). Serum 25(OH) Vitamin D3 was significantly decreased in PCOS (9.04±2.60 ng/ml) compared to control group (20.06±3.28 ng/ml). Negative correlation of serum Vitamin D was found with FBS, serum insulin, IR, HI, and serum testosterone. Vitamin D with metabolic parameters also showed a statistically significant negative correlation.
 Conclusion: Vitamin D deficiency may be a common comorbid manifestation of PCOS. Hence, Vitamin D supplementation may decrease the potential risk of morbidity and mortality associated with PCOS. However, further studies are needed which should include assessment of Vitamin D in women at various stages of PCOS to enhance the temporal order of Vitamin D deficiency in relation to PCOS.

Exploring Serum Vitamin D, Sex Hormones, and Lipid Profile Disparities in Women With and Without Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome: A Case-Control Study

“…Furthermore, our study revealed significantly higher levels of TC, TG, and LDL-C in PCOS subjects compared to controls, consistent with previous research indicating dyslipidemia as a potential complication of PCOS [9,17,18]. The higher mean blood glucose in the PCOS group observed in this study reflects their elevated risk of hyperinsulinemia and diabetes mellitus [19], contrasting with the findings of Bindayel and Kim et al [15,20] but agreeing with the findings of Kharb et al [19] and Eftekhar et al [21].…”

“…Vitamin D deficiency has been suggested to contribute to the pathogenesis of insulin resistance and PCOS [10]. Vitamin D deficiency, implicated in PCOS pathogenesis, was evident in our study, aligning with prior research [9,15,22]. However, discordant findings regarding vitamin D levels among PCOS subjects exist in the literature [10,11,20], underscoring the complexity of this relationship.…”

“…Unlike Sukul et al and Ezeiruka and Onitsha, who reported a significant disparity in BMI between PCOS subjects and controls [9,14], our study, aligning with Ansari and Chandra [10] and Bindayel [15], observed no significant BMI difference between the two groups. Lifestyle disparities among study populations may contribute to this inconsistency.…”

“…The symptoms of PCOS, including irregular menstruation, decreased chances of getting pregnant, hirsutism, hyperandrogenism, obesity, and elevated risk factors for cardiovascular disease, have been linked to lower vitamin D levels [8]. Nevertheless, inconsistent reports on the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in PCOS patients have been documented [9][10][11].…”

Comparative study of vitamin D3 levels in polycystic ovarian syndrome vs non-polycystic ovarian females

“…Sukul et al reported that 25(OH) vitamin D in their study was significantly lower (p<0.001) in PCOS cases (9.04±2.60 ng/ml) compared to the control group (20.06±3.28 ng/ml). 18 Around 84% of PCOS cases were severely vitamin D3 deficient (<12 ng/ml), whereas in the control group, 56% were showing insufficient vitamin D3 levels. In the study reported by Wehr et al vitamin D levels were compared in a large number of women in PCOS (n=545) to the controls (n=145), and they were found to be 25.7 ng/ml versus 32.0 ng/ml, respectively.…”