Keto Diet As A PCOS Treatment
Reproductive function is vital to human survival and well-being. Thus, the incidence of polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) in women, often associated with infertility, has received considerable attention among researchers.
Keto Diet As A PCOS Treatment
A recent study published in the journal Current Nutrition Reports explores the role of the ketogenic diet in the treatment of PCOS.
Keto Diet As A PCOS Treatment
Study: Ketogenic Diet as Medical Prescription in Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS). Image Credit: Nina Firsova / Shutterstock.com
Keto Diet As A PCOS Treatment
Introduction
PCOS is an endocrine condition that affects the ovaries, often leading to various combinations of elevated androgen levels with/or oligo-ovulation or polycystic ovaries. As a result, about four in ten affected women are infertile.
Keto Diet As A PCOS Treatment
PCOS is also linked to multiple metabolic disorders, including glucose intolerance, type 2 diabetes mellitus, hyperinsulinism, insulin resistance, hypertension, and fatty liver. In addition, an earlier report suggested a link between PCOS and excessive dietary carbohydrate intake, leading to insulin resistance and hyperandrogenism. Obesity is also more prevalent among women with PCOS.
These factors have led many types of diets to be studied for their effect on PCOS, with this research often focused on how the reduced consumption of refined carbohydrates and saturated or trans fats in the diet may be beneficial.
A variation of the Mediterranean diet known as the ketogenic Mediterranean diet with phytoextracts (KEMEPHY), as well as the low glycemic index (GI) diet and low saturated fat diet, are some of the different interventions that have been tested for their efficacy in PCOS management.
In particular, the very-low-calorie ketogenic diet (VLCKD) has garnered support among weight loss enthusiasts and the scientific community due to its purported effectiveness in reducing body fat and alleviating metabolic dysfunction such as glucose intolerance and dyslipidemias.
In the VLCKD, fats provide 90% of calories, with carbohydrates and proteins providing the remaining 10%. This diet is adopted in three stages, beginning with the active stage, followed by the re-education and maintenance phases. The VLCKD has been…