Written by Greg Arnold, DC, CSCS. The study suggests that folic acid supplementation may help maintain healthy levels of inflammation, blood sugar, and oxidative stress.

Polycystic ovary syndrome is a hormonal disorder in women that results in enlarged ovaries that can produce prolonged menstrual periods, excessive hair growth, acne, and obesity. The exact cause of polycystic ovary syndrome is unknown, but early diagnosis may reduce the risk of long-term complications, such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease (1).

Because polycystic ovary syndrome is associated with inflammation, oxidative stress and blood sugar problems, those suffering from the condition have an increased risk for several health problems later in life that could include type 2 diabetes, obesity and endometrial cancer (2). A new 2014 study (3) suggests that folic acid supplementation may help maintain healthy levels of inflammation, blood sugar, and oxidative stress.

The study involved 69 women between the ages of 18 and 40 with polycystic ovary syndrome. They received either 1 milligram per day of folic acid (23 women), 5 milligrams per day of folic acid (23 women), or a placebo (23 subjects) for 8 weeks. Fasting blood samples were taken before and after the study.

After 8 weeks, the following results were was observed, with the increased folic acid supplementation producing greater benefits to inflammation levels, blood sugar control, and cellular health than the lower folic acid supplementation or the placebo group:

1 mg folic acid/day5 mg folic acid/dayPlacebop - value
Inflammation
Homocysteine
Healthy Range is 5-15 micro-Molar (4))
12.7% decrease
(14.76 to 12.90)
13.2% decrease
(17.01 to 14.78)
6% increase
(19.02 to 20.18)
0.018
hs C-reactive protein
(micrograms/Liter)
Healthy Range is <1,000 micrograms/Liter (5)
15.2% decrease
(1733.3 to 1470.9)
19.8% decrease
(1072.2 to 860)
42.7% increase
(1705.5 to 2435.3)
0.043
Blood Sugar
HOMA-B (4)
Lower number = better blood sugar health
3.6% increase
(39.39 to 40.82)
14.7% decrease
(51.92 to 44.29)
24.9% increase
(54.68 to 68.34)
0.03
Oxidative Stress
Total Antioxidant Content (milliMolar)3.4% decrease
(943.8 to 912.2)
12.9% decrease
(1.87 to 1.63)
0.05% increase
(1029.8 to 1030.4)
21.2% decrease
(1019.3 to 803.8)
0.005
Malondialdehyde
(microMolar)
Lower number = less cell damage
12.9% decrease
(1.87 to 1.63)
20% decrease
(2.41 to 1.93)
25.4% increase
(2.71 to 3.4)
0.008

For the researchers, folate supplementation (5 mg/d) for 8 weeks among women with polycystic ovary syndrome had beneficial effects on inflammatory factors and biomarkers of oxidative stress,” and that “further studies are required to optimize inflammatory factors and biomarkers of oxidative stress in women with polycystic ovary syndrome with different doses and longer-term interventions with folate supplements.”

Source: Bahmani, Fereshteh, et al. “The effects of folate supplementation on inflammatory factors and biomarkers of oxidative stress in overweight and obese women with polycystic ovary syndrome: a randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled clinical trial.” Clinical endocrinology 81.4 (2014): 582-587.

© 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd

 Posted February 10, 2016. 

Greg Arnold is a Chiropractic Physician practicing in Hauppauge, NY.  You can contact Dr. Arnold directly by emailing him at PitchingDoc@msn.com or visiting his web site at www.PitchingDoc.com.

References:

  1. Insenser, M., Montes-Nieto, R., Murri, M. et al. Proteomic and metabolomic approaches to the study of polycystic ovary syndrome. Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology 2013; 370: 65–77
  2. Costello, M.F., Shrestha, B., Eden, J. et al. Metformin versus oral contraceptive pill in polycystic ovary syndrome: a Cochrane review. Human Reproduction 2007: 22: 1200–1209
  3. Bahmani F. The effects of folate supplementation on inflammatory factors and biomarkers of oxidative stress in overweight and obese women with polycystic ovary syndrome: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf) 2014 Oct;81(4):582-7. doi: 10.1111/cen.12451. Epub 2014 Apr 15
  4. Pisprasert, V., Ingram, K.H., Lopez-Davila, M.F. et al. (2013) Limitations in the use of indices using glucose and insulin levels to predict insulin sensitivity: impact of race and gender and superiority of the indices derived from oral glucose tolerance test in African Americans. Diabetes Care, 36, 845–85