Nutrients, herbs & natural products studied for PCOS
14 PubMed clinical trials & meta-analyses analyzed
AI summary
Evidence stage: Human Clinical TrialThe abstracts describe a small set of nutrients and natural products studied in PCOS, with most evidence coming from randomized clinical trials. Vitamin D3, myo-inositol plus D-chiro-inositol, selenium, zinc, curcumin, and acetyl-L-carnitine were each evaluated for metabolic, endocrine, ovarian, or reproductive outcomes. Several traditional herbal preparations were also studied, including Tiankui capsule, Erzhi Tiangui Granule, and wen-jing-tang (unkei-to), but the abstracts provide less consistent detail on their specific compositions and outcomes. Overall, the evidence base is mostly human interventional data with varying outcome measures and short follow-up periods. This evidence is educational; it is not FDA-approved and is not medical advice.
Doses are those reported in the studies, not recommendations. Talk to your doctor before taking anything.
Myo-inositol + D-chiro-inositol
NutrientStrong evidenceHuman Clinical TrialDoses studied: 40:1 ratio of myo-inositol plus D-chiro-inositol
Duration: 12 weeks
In a prospective randomized clinical trial, this combination was compared with metformin in women with PCOS. Both groups showed significant improvements in insulin sensitivity (HOMA-IR), SHBG, ovarian volume, menstrual regularity, BMI, quality of life, and perceived stress scores. The abstract states metformin had slightly better outcomes in some parameters, while the inositol combination may have been more effective for some phenotypes.
Vitamin D3
NutrientStrong evidenceHuman Clinical TrialDoses studied: 30,000 IU/week, with calcium; followed by an additional 12 weeks of vitamin D treatment
Duration: 24 weeks total, with 12 weeks of vitamin D plus calcium followed by 12 additional weeks of vitamin D
In a prospective randomized placebo-controlled trial, vitamin D3 was assessed for effects on ovarian morphology, cycle length, and ovulatory dysfunction. The abstract reports improvements in ovarian morphology and menstrual cycle regularity in more than half of patients, along with a significant increase in ovulation rate. Testosterone also decreased significantly in the subgroup with LH/FSH ratio greater than 2.
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