The Efficacy of 24-Month Metformin for Improving Menses, Hormones, and Metabolic Profiles in Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

    January 2018 in “ The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism ”
    Pei‐Chi Yang, Chih Yuan Hsu, Mei-Jou Chen, Mei Yu Lai, Zheng Rong Li, Chen Hsin Chen, Shee‐Uan Chen, Hong Nerng Ho
    Image of study
    TLDR Metformin improves menstrual cycles and hormone levels in women with PCOS, mostly within the first 6 months.
    The study assessed the impact of metformin on 119 women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) over a 24-month period, examining menstrual regularity, hormonal balance, and metabolic profiles. Metformin treatment led to increased menstrual frequency and decreased BMI, testosterone, and luteinizing hormone levels, particularly within the first 6 months. Notable improvements were seen in normal-weight women with high baseline testosterone and overweight women with normal testosterone levels. However, most parameters did not show sustained improvements beyond 6 months, except for a continued decline in free androgen index in normal-weight women. The study concluded that metformin is effective in improving menstrual and hormonal profiles in PCOS patients, with the greatest response seen by 6 months. The study faced limitations such as no control group and a high dropout rate, with only 37% of participants completing the full 24 months.
    Discuss this study in the Community →

    Research cited in this study

    3 / 3 results

    Related Community Posts Join

    6 / 31 results

      community C’est terrible - at my wits end

      in Female  443 upvotes 1 year ago
      A 29-year-old woman is experiencing gradual hair thinning since age 15, suspects Androgenic Alopecia, and has tried 5% minoxidil with little success. She has purchased various hair loss treatments including minoxidil, dutasteride, finasteride, and spironolactone, but is cautious about starting them due to potential interactions with her ADHD medication.

      community Female, 30, PCOS diagnosis, MPB Norwood 2. Endo refuses to give anything other than Spironolactone. Feel like I’m at my wit’s end here.

      in Female  56 upvotes 1 year ago
      A 30-year-old female with PCOS and male pattern baldness is frustrated with her endocrinologist's recommendation of only Spironolactone and minoxidil, feeling that dutasteride, finasteride, and progesterone would be more effective. Other users suggest various online sources for treatments, warn against self-medicating due to potential risks, and recommend seeking a specialized endocrinologist or considering additional treatments like Inositol, Berberine, and dermaneedling.
      Diffuse hair loss and scalp biopsies

      community Diffuse hair loss and scalp biopsies

      in Research  692 upvotes 3 months ago
      Scalp biopsies are crucial for diagnosing hair loss conditions like Diffuse Unpatterned Alopecia (DUPA) and retrograde hair loss, as treatments like finasteride and dutasteride may not be effective if other conditions are present. Combining PPAR-GAMMA agonists with retinoids could improve treatments for conditions like Lichen Planopilaris.

      community [25, F] [RANT] Shedding since March 2020. This just isn’t fair.

      in Female  42 upvotes 3 years ago
      User "missbloombastic" has been experiencing hair loss since 2016 and tried min, fin, multivitamins, and spiro with mixed results. Another user shares their struggle with hair loss and its impact on self-esteem, while a third user suggests checking blood tests and confirming the cause of hair loss.

      community Topical rapamycin, metformin, a-kg grow hair

      in Research/Science  13 upvotes 4 years ago
      The conversation discusses the potential of topical rapamycin, metformin, and alpha-ketoglutarate (a-KG) for hair growth, with skepticism expressed about their effectiveness based on personal experience and existing use. It also mentions AICAR, known as cardarine or GW, which is not suitable for long-term use due to cancer risks in animal studies and its similarity to metformin.

      community Finasteride and Metformin together?

      in Finasteride/Dutasteride  1 upvotes 1 year ago
      The conversation is about whether it's safe to take Metformin for weight loss and Finasteride together, with the concern that Finasteride is not commonly used for hair loss treatment in the user's location, and their doctor is not knowledgeable about it.

    Related Research

    3 / 3 results