A study revealed that weight loss could help one manage symptoms of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), including frequency of menstrual cycles. PCOS affects one in eight to 10 women globally during their reproductive ages, and is marked by higher-than-usual testosterone levels. The symptoms include irregular periods and excess weight gain.
Researchers at the University of Oxford, UK, reviewed trials across scientific research databases, such as ‘MEDLINE’ and ‘Embase’, to understand how losing weight impacts one’s PCOS symptoms.
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Weight loss interventions were associated with significantly greater improvements in HOMA-IR (measures insulin resistance), free androgen index (measures free testosterone in blood) and period frequency, the authors said in the study published in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine.
The findings suggested that losing weight could be an effective tool for managing PCOS symptoms in clinical settings. Clinicians could use the study’s results to counsel patients having PCOS about the improvements in biological markers following weight loss and direct them towards appropriate interventions.