The Effect of Alfacalcidiol and Metformin on Phenotype Manifestations in Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome – A Preliminary Study

October 2016 in “ Physiological Research ”

Ingrid Dravecká, Jana Figurová, Martin Javorský, Jana Petríková, Mirena Valkova, Ivica Lazúrová

alfacalcidiol metformin Polycystic Ovary Syndrome PCOS testosterone androgen menstrual cycle acne hirsutism vitamin D hyperandrogenism LH/FSH ratio

From the encyclopedia

Metformin →

diabetes drug with anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, and insulin-sensitizing properties

Vitamin D →

vitamin you should probably be taking for general health might also help your hair a little

Studysummary In this study, vitamin D supplementation showed no significant effect on androgen levels or clinical hyperandrogenism in PCOS women, but when combined with metformin, it improved testosterone levels. Our plain-language summary of this paper — not a Tressless recommendation.

In a preliminary study of 39 obese, insulin-resistant, and vitamin D deficient women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), researchers examined the impact of alfacalcidiol, metformin, and their combination on various PCOS symptoms over 6 months. The study revealed that the combination of alfacalcidiol and metformin significantly reduced total testosterone levels, while metformin alone only caused a slight, non-significant decrease. No significant changes in other androgen levels were noted across the groups. Menstrual cycle regularity improved significantly in the metformin group (90%) and non-significantly in the other groups (78% for alfacalcidiol and 80% for the combination). There was no significant improvement in acne and hirsutism, and while the pregnancy rate was higher in the metformin group, it was not statistically significant. The study concluded that vitamin D supplementation alone did not significantly impact androgen levels or clinical hyperandrogenism in PCOS, but it could enhance the effects of metformin on testosterone levels and LH/FSH ratio. However, it did not significantly affect clinical hyperandrogenism or pregnancy rates, indicating the need for larger studies to confirm these findings.

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Research cited in this study

2 / 2 results

research The Effect of Alfacalcidiol and Metformin on Metabolic Disturbances in Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

10 citations , February 2017 in “Hormone Molecular Biology and Clinical Investigation”

This randomized clinical trial found that vitamin D supplementation did not significantly alter anthropometric or metabolic parameters in obese, insulin-resistant, and vitamin D-deficient women with polycystic ovary syndrome, whereas metformin effectively reduced body weight, BMI, waist circumference, total body fat, and serum glucose levels.

Criteria for Defining Polycystic Ovary Syndrome as a Predominantly Hyperandrogenic Syndrome: An Androgen Excess Society Guideline

research Criteria for Defining Polycystic Ovary Syndrome as a Predominantly Hyperandrogenic Syndrome: An Androgen Excess Society Guideline

1744 citations , August 2006 in “The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism”

This review discusses definitions of polycystic ovary syndrome and reports no new clinical results; the authors support using modified 1990 NIH criteria and acknowledge ongoing evolution as research advances.