Does Dietary Fatty Acid, Decanoic Acid, Prevent Polycystic Ovary Syndrome?

The study by Lee et al. proposed that dietary decanoic acid, a nontoxic fatty acid found in coconut and palm oil, could be a promising treatment for PCOS. In vitro experiments showed that decanoic acid, like metformin, reduced cAMP-stimulated androgen synthesis to normal levels by attenuating Nur77 recruitment on the promoter of 3β-HSD. In a letrozole-induced rat PCOS model, decanoic acid, but not metformin, normalized androgen levels and restored the estrous cycle. Additionally, decanoic acid improved glucose sensitivity without causing weight gain in a diabetic mouse model. These findings suggested that decanoic acid could manage hyperandrogenism and insulin resistance in PCOS patients, offering advantages over current treatments due to its nontoxic, nonobese, and nonhormonal properties. However, further research was needed to address its application in human PCOS patients.