PCOS reduces diversity of bacteria in gut microbiome; hormones found to alter microbiome populations


Women who have polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), a hormone condition which could lead to infertility and metabolic disorders such as diabetes and heart disease, may have “less diverse” gut bacteria than women who don’t have the condition. The study, which was published in the Endocrine Society’s Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, was led by researchers from the University of California San Diego School of Medicine, in collaboration with colleagues at Poznan University of Medical Sciences in Poland and San Diego State University.

  • Most women with PCOS also have problems with their metabolism. This increases their likelihood getting type-2 diabetes and heart disease. Moreover, recent studies have also shown a decline in the alpha diversity of the gut microbiome in women with PCOS — which does not happen in women without the condition.
  • The researchers evaluated whether these changes in the gut microbiome are linked with specific clinical parameters among women with PCOS. In addition, they also explored if there were other changes in the gut microbiome in women with polycystic ovarian morphology (PCOM) that were not diagnosed under PCOS.
  • For the study, women from the Poznan University of Medical Sciences were recruited. The researchers then studied fecal swabs from 73 ladies who were diagnosed with PCOS. Their samples were compared with swabs from 48 ladies who did not have PCOS and 42 ladies who had PCOM but did not have the other features of PCOS.
  • The analysis revealed lower alpha diversity in women with PCOS compared with that of healthy women. Women with PCOM also showed a difference in alpha diversity, but it was in the middle of two groups. Moreover, regression analysis indicated that alpha diversity is inversely related to hyperandrogenism, total testosterone, and hirsutism.

Based on the outcomes, the study proffered that hyperandrogenism could be a factor in changing the gut microbiome in women with PCOS.

Journal Reference:

Torres PJ, Siakowska M, Banaszewska B, Pawelczyk L, Duleba AJ, Kelley ST, Thackray VG. GUT MICROBIAL DIVERSITY IN WOMEN WITH POLYCYSTIC OVARY SYNDROME CORRELATES WITH HYPERANDROGENISM. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. 2018. DOI: doi.org/10.1210/jc.2017-02153



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