Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common condition that affects how a woman's ovaries work.
The 3 main features of PCOS are:

  • irregular periods – which means your ovaries do not regularly release eggs (ovulation)
  • excess androgen – high levels of "male" hormones in your body, which may cause physical signs such as excess facial or body hair
  • polycystic ovaries – your ovaries become enlarged and contain many fluid-filled sacs (follicles) that surround the eggs (but despite the name, you do not actually have cysts if you have PCOS)

If you have at least 2 of these features, you may be diagnosed with PCOS.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a major endocrinopathy among reproductive-aged women. It affects 4%–20% of women of reproductive age worldwide. Up to 10% of women are diagnosed with PCOS during gynecologic visits. In some European studies, the prevalence of PCOS has been reported to be 6.5-8%.
The exact cause of PCOS is unknown, but it often runs in families. It's related to abnormal hormone levels in the body, including high levels of insulin. Insulin is a hormone that controls sugar levels in the body. Many women with PCOS are resistant to the action of insulin in their body and produce higher levels of insulin to overcome this. This contributes to the increased production and activity of hormones like testosterone. Being overweight or obese also increases the amount of insulin your body produces.

Q10

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After adjustment for potential confounders, supplementation with CoQ10 alone or in combination with vitamin E, compared with placebo, had significant effects on fasting blood sugar (FBS); vitamin E's effect on FBS was not significant. A significant reduction in homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) was observed in the CoQ10 and combined groups. CoQ10, vitamin E, and co-supplementation led to decreased serum total testosterone levels (P < 0.001) compared with those of the placebo group. CoQ10 supplementation in combination with vitamin E significantly improved in sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) levels compared with other groups (P = 0.008). Linear regression analysis revealed that changes in FBS, insulin, and HOMA-IR were predictors of change in free androgen index (P < 0.05).

Conclusion: CoQ10 with or without vitamin E supplementation among women with PCOS had beneficial effects on serum FBS and insulin levels, as well as HOMA-IR and total testosterone levels. However, only co-supplementation affected SHBG concentrations.

J Clin Endocrinol Metab . 2019 Feb 1;104(2):319-327. doi: 10.1210/jc.2018-01221.

** All data above are published as clinical trials and do not refer to EFSA claims. This means that they do not intend to be medical or therapeutical advice.