The Role of Individually Selected Diets in Obese Women with PCOS—A Review

Abstract

Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is one of the most common heterogeneous endocrine and metabolic disorders in premenopausal women. It is a complex multifactorial disorder with strong epigenetic and environmental influences, including factors related to eating habits and lifestyle. There is a close relationship between obesity and PCOS. Weight gain and obesity are often clinical symptoms manifested by biochemical markers. Moreover, abdominal obesity in women with PCOS is involved in the development of inflammatory changes. A significant share of balanced therapies correcting the lifestyle of patients is suggested, e.g., with the implementation of appropriate diets to minimize exposure to inflammatory factors and prevent abnormal immune system stimulation. In the case of obese patients with PCOS, planning a diet program and supporting the motivation to change eating habits play an important role to lose weight and lower BMI. Probiotics/synbiotic supplementation may enhance weight loss during the diet program and additionally positively affect metabolic and inflammatory factors by improving the intestinal microbiome.

BMI and Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: Demographic Trends in Weight and Health

“…Normal-weight PCOS patients should emphasize on a moderate intake of complex carbohydrates, lean proteins, and healthy fats [ 19 ]. Excessive consumption of processed foods and sugars should be avoided.…”

Correlation between Selected Clinical Symptoms and Severity of Aggression, Impulsiveness and Their Selected Behavioral Manifestations in Patients with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Phenotype A

“…PCOS is associated with symptoms such as ovulatory disorders, hyperandrogenemia, clinical hyperandrogenism, impaired secretion of gonadotropic hormones, insulin resistance, obesity, infertility, and lipid and carbohydrate metabolism disorders [ 2 ]. Increasing attention has been attributed to the co-occurrence of eating disorders and abnormal eating habits in women with PCOS [ 2 , 3 ]. Among the factors predisposing to this coincidence, the literature cites increased body mass index (BMI), greater dietary restrictions, dissatisfaction with one’s own body, low self-esteem, co-occurrence of depressive symptoms, anxiety, distress, and poorer quality of life [ 4 , 5 ].…”

Inflammation mediates the effect of adiposity and lipid metabolism indicators on the embryogenesis of PCOS women undergoing in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection

“…The primary clinical manifestations of PCOS are oligo-anovulation, hyperandrogenism (clinical or biochemical), and polycystic ovarian morphology (2). PCOS women have high risks of anovulatory infertility, dyslipidemia, obesity, impaired glucose tolerance (IGT), insulin resistance (IR), type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), cardiovascular disease, gynecological cancers, and psychiatric disorders (1,(3)(4)(5). PCOS is a heterogeneous and complex multifactorial disorder resulting from the combined influences of genetic factors, environment, endocrine, dietary habits, and lifestyle (1,(5)(6)(7).…”

“…PCOS women have high risks of anovulatory infertility, dyslipidemia, obesity, impaired glucose tolerance (IGT), insulin resistance (IR), type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), cardiovascular disease, gynecological cancers, and psychiatric disorders (1,(3)(4)(5). PCOS is a heterogeneous and complex multifactorial disorder resulting from the combined influences of genetic factors, environment, endocrine, dietary habits, and lifestyle (1,(5)(6)(7). Increasing evidence has shown that PCOS is closely related to obesity and its relevant metabolic disorders (3).…”

“…PCOS is considered to be a chronic inflammatory disorder associated with obesity ( 5 , 16 ). Studies have shown elevated levels of inflammatory markers in PCOS women, including white blood cell (WBC) count, C-reactive protein (CRP), complement element 3 (C3), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin 6 (IL-6), interleukin 18 (IL-18), monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), and macrophage inflammatory protein-1α (MIP-1α) ( 19 , 20 ).…”