Propolis Supplementation Improves Insulin Resistance, LDL/HDL Levels, Testosterone, and Anxiety in Women with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome

by | Jan 4, 2024 | 2023, Propolis, Women's Health

Written by Taylor Woosley, Staff Writer. 12-week intervention of 500 mg/daily propolis significantly improved insulin (p = 0.05), HOMA-IR (p = 0.02), testosterone (p = 0.001), hs-CRP (p = 0.001) and LDL/HDL levels (p = 0.01).

womanPolycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is an endocrine and reproductive disorder affecting 7 to 15% of women of reproductive age1. It is characterized by irregular menstrual cycles, hyperandrogenism, and polycystic ovaries and is one of the most common causes of infertility in women of reproductive age2. Hyperandrogenism causes insulin resistance and hyperglycemia, leading to reactive oxygen species formation, oxidative stress, and abdominal adiposity3.

Propolis, a waxy substance produced by honeybees, has been researched as a therapeutic potential in the relief of several symptoms of PCOS4. Over 300 potential active ingredients are found in propolis and include comarins, phenolic aldehyde, amino acids, and polyphenols that exert immune enhancement, anti-bacterial effects, anti-inflammatory properties, and antioxidant effects5. Propolis’ antioxidant abilities prevent the production of proinflammatory cytokines and decrease the inflammatory markers hs-CRP and TNF-α levels6.

Abbasi et al. conducted a parallel, randomized, triple-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial to analyze the effect of propolis supplementation on hs-CRP, testosterone hormone, and metabolic profile in women with PCOS. Subject inclusion consisted of being a woman aged 18 to 45 years with confirmed PCOS according to the international Rotterdam criteria, who did not take any medicine besides metformin or follow a specific exercise or diet program in the last 3 months. Participants were allocated to either the propolis administration group or placebo group. The propolis group consumed two 250 mg of propolis daily (n = 30) while the placebo group consumed a similar looking placebo tablet (n = 30) for 12 weeks. All subjects were informed to maintain their normal diet, physical activity, and medication until the end of the intervention.

Primary outcomes of the study included fasting blood glucose (FBG), HOMA-IR, insulin, HDL, LDL, triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC), systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), hs-CRP, testosterone, weight, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), hip circumference (HC) and waist to hip ratio (WHR) which were measured via fasting blood samples. A 3-day food record was obtained from participants to complete at baseline, mid-intervention (6 weeks), and after the 12-week intervention to assess dietary intake. Furthermore, physical activity levels in terms of Metabolic Equivalent (MET) were assessed through a 3-day physical activity registration questionnaire. Quality of life was analyzed through the World Health Organization Quality of Life Questionnaire. Additionally, the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scales (DASS-21) questionnaire was completed by all subjects.

Independent sample t-tests and paired t-tests were used for intergroup and intragroup comparisons of quantitative variables with normal distribution. Ranks tests of Mann-Whitney U and Wilcoxon were utilized if the distribution of variables were abnormal. A significant body weight difference was observed between the groups at baseline (p = 0.01). Significant findings of the study are as follows:

  • 12-week supplementation of propolis significantly decreased insulin (p = 0.05), HOMA-IR (p = 0.02) and testosterone (p = 0.001) compared to the control.
  • A significant reduction in hs-CRP levels post-intervention versus baseline was observed in the propolis group (p = 0.001).
  • A significant decline in LDL/HDL levels (p = 0.01) was noted in the propolis group. However, there were no significant changes in HDL-C, LDL-C, TC, and TG after adjusting for confounders.
  • End of intervention findings show that there was a significant increase in physical (p = 0.01) and mental health scores (p = 0.001) in the propolis group compared to placebo.

Results of the study show that a 12-week 500 mg/daily propolis intervention significantly improved insulin levels, testosterone, inflammatory markers, and anxiety scores in women with PCOS. Further research should continue to explore the use of propolis for chronic inflammatory conditions. Study limitations include not completing further testing of inflammatory and oxidative stress biomarkers and lack of testing different doses of propolis for various intervention lengths.

Source: Abbasi, Elahe, Mohammad Bagherniya, Davood Soleimani, Hatav Ghasemi‐Tehrani, Mohammadreza Abbaspour, Cain CT Clark, and Gholamreza Askari. “The effects of propolis supplementation on high‐sensitivity C‐reactive protein, testosterone hormone, and metabolic profile in women with polycystic ovary syndrome: A randomized, triple‐blinded, placebo‐controlled clinical trial.” Phytotherapy Research 37, no. 11 (2023): 5366-5377.

© 2023 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

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Posted January 4, 2024.

Taylor Woosley studied biology at Purdue University before becoming a 2016 graduate of Columbia College Chicago with a major in Writing. She currently resides in Glen Ellyn, IL.

References:

  1. Collée J, Mawet M, Tebache L, Nisolle M, Brichant G. Polycystic ovarian syndrome and infertility: overview and insights of the putative treatments. Gynecological endocrinology : the official journal of the International Society of Gynecological Endocrinology. Oct 2021;37(10):869-874. doi:10.1080/09513590.2021.1958310
  2. Rashid R, Mir SA, Kareem O, et al. Polycystic ovarian syndrome-current pharmacotherapy and clinical implications. Taiwanese journal of obstetrics & gynecology. Jan 2022;61(1):40-50. doi:10.1016/j.tjog.2021.11.009
  3. Siddiqui S, Mateen S, Ahmad R, Moin S. A brief insight into the etiology, genetics, and immunology of polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). J Assist Reprod Genet. Nov 2022;39(11):2439-2473. doi:10.1007/s10815-022-02625-7
  4. Ali A, Paramanya A, Poojari P, Arslan-Acaroz D, Acaroz U, Kostić A. The Utilization of Bee Products as a Holistic Approach to Managing Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome-Related Infertility. Nutrients. Feb 25 2023;15(5)doi:10.3390/nu15051165
  5. Pahlavani N, Malekahmadi M, Firouzi S, et al. Molecular and cellular mechanisms of the effects of Propolis in inflammation, oxidative stress and glycemic control in chronic diseases. Nutr Metab (Lond). 2020;17:65. doi:10.1186/s12986-020-00485-5
  6. Nattagh-Eshtivani E, Jokar M, Tabesh H, et al. The effect of propolis supplementation on inflammatory factors and oxidative status in women with rheumatoid arthritis: Design and research protocol of a double-blind, randomized controlled. Contemp Clin Trials Commun. Sep 2021;23:100807. doi:10.1016/j.conctc.2021.100807