Metformin Improved Health-Related Quality of Life in Ethnic Chinese Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

    Horng Yih Ou, Pei-Chi Chen, Ming-Ho Wu, Chung-Ying Lin
    Image of study
    TLDR Metformin helped improve the quality of life for Chinese women with PCOS, especially in physical health and symptoms like infertility, acne, and hair loss.
    In a 2016 study involving 109 ethnic Chinese women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), metformin was found to significantly improve health-related quality of life (HRQOL), particularly in the physical domain of WHOQOL-Bref and in aspects of PCOS-specific HRQOL such as infertility, acne, and hair loss. The improvements were most notable in overweight (56% of participants) and hyperandrogenic (80% of participants) subgroups. Psychological disturbances related to these symptoms were also significantly ameliorated by metformin, especially in the aforementioned subgroups. Although the emotions domain of HRQOL improved, this change was not statistically significant. The study suggests that metformin may enhance HRQOL in women with PCOS by improving symptoms like acne and hair loss, which are often associated with hyperandrogenism.
    Discuss this study in the Community →

    Research cited in this study

    7 / 7 results

    Related Community Posts Join

    6 / 36 results

      community C’est terrible - at my wits end

      by Desperate-War-3925 in Female  447 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.
      [object Object]

      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.

      by sailorquaoar in Female  55 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.
      If You Have DUPA, PLEASE READ THIS: Everyone Should Be Scalp Biopsied

      community If You Have DUPA, PLEASE READ THIS: Everyone Should Be Scalp Biopsied

      by nkrata in Research  830 upvotes 6 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 Feeling really down and hair loss is slowly destroying me

      by -NickFlores- in Chat  86 upvotes 4 years ago
      The conversation is about a person struggling with aggressive hair loss and feeling depressed, who has tried finasteride but is experiencing sexual side effects. Others suggest various treatments like reducing finasteride dosage, trying minoxidil, dermarolling, addressing health and hormonal issues, and accepting baldness.

    Similar Research

    6 / 297 results