Elevated Ghrelin Plasma Levels in Patients with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
March 2004
in “
Hormone and Metabolic Research
”
TLDR Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome have higher levels of the hormone ghrelin, which may be linked to the cause of the condition.
The study conducted 19 years ago investigated the levels of ghrelin, a hormone that regulates energy homeostasis and growth hormone secretion, in 52 women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) and compared them to 16 women in a control group. The researchers found that women with PCOS had higher ghrelin levels than the control group. Additionally, they found a negative correlation between ghrelin levels and both Body Mass Index (BMI) and insulin levels in the PCOS group. A relationship between ghrelin and Sex Hormone Binding Globulin (SHBG) was also observed. The study concluded that ghrelin could potentially be a link in the etiology of PCOS.