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
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    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.
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