TLDR Women with PCOS who have low SHBG are more likely to have low good cholesterol and metabolic syndrome.
In a study of 106 young Taiwanese women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), researchers found that low sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) levels were associated with low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels and the presence of metabolic syndrome, independent of insulin resistance and obesity. The average age of the participants was 24.9 years, and 65.1% had HDL-C levels below 50 mg/dl. The study showed a strong correlation between SHBG and HDL-C levels and found that women with PCOS and metabolic syndrome had significantly lower SHBG levels, suggesting that SHBG may be an important factor in assessing cardiovascular disease risk in this population.
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