Vitamin E beneficial for patients with polycystic ovary syndrome: Study

The study led to the following findings:

• Supplementation of Vitamin E alone or in combination with magnesium or omega-3 compared to placebo could remarkably decrease serum levels of TC (weighted mean difference: − 16.30 mg/dL), TG (− 18.27 mg/dL), LDL-c (− 12.84 mg/dL), TC/HDL-c ratio (− 0.52), hs-CRP (− 0.60 ng/mL), VLDL (− 5.88 mg/dL), hirsutism score (− 0.33) and significantly increase the levels of nitric oxide (2.79 µmol/L).
• The researchers did not find any significant effect on glycemic indices, HDL-c, hormonal profile, anthropometric measurements, and other inflammation or oxidative stress biomarkers.

The meta-analysis of 10 RCTs with 504 PCOS women demonstrated that vitamin E supplementation or vitamin E along with magnesium or omega-3 could significantly decrease hs-CRP, hirsutism score, and lipid profile (TC, TG, VLDL, TC/HDL-c, LDL-c), and an increase in the concentration of nitric oxide (NO).

Vitamin E supplementation and the co-supplementation of magnesium or omega-3 did not have any impact on hormonal profile, glycemic indices, other biomarkers of oxidative stress or inflammation, HDL-c levels, and anthropometric measurements. The positive effect of vitamin E in patients with PCOS might be independent of weight loss.

"Our results underscore the potential anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory properties, and anti-hyperlipidemic properties of vitamin E on PCOS patients; therefore, this vitamin could be used as an adjuvant treatment for managing some complications and clinical manifestations of PCOS," the researchers wrote in their study.

Reference:

Heidari, H., Hajhashemy, Z. & Saneei, P. A meta-analysis of effects of vitamin E supplementation alone and in combination with omega-3 or magnesium on polycystic ovary syndrome. Sci Rep 12, 19927 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-24467-0