Endocrine Abstracts

The ketogenic diet (KD) has been extensively studied as a potential therapeutic approach for various conditions, including Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) in women. We describe a 29-year-old overweight woman with PCOS. Clinically, she presented with hirsutism, acne, and pink stretch marks in the hip and abdomen areas, no significant menstrual cycle disturbances were reported. Patient underwent a 12-week KD regimen. Initially, her body mass index (BMI) was 33.5, with a weight of 87.9 kg. After the diet, she experienced a significant weight loss of 12.2 kg, reducing her weight to 75.7 kg and her BMI to 28.8. Remarkably, patient’s hormonal profile showed considerable improvement. Patient at the beginning of the study had a HOMA-IR 3.7 confirming insulin resistance. At the end of the study, a significant decrease was observed in glucose (pre 98 mg/dl vs post 92 mg/dl) and insulin (pre 15.2 uIU/ml vs post 10,78 uIU/ml) and consequently in the HOMA-IR (pre 3,7 vs post 2.4). Luteinizing Hormone (LH) to Follicle-Stimulating Hormone (FSH) ratio, which was reversed at the study’s outset (2.42), normalized post-diet (1.44). There was a decrease in free testosterone levels (from 4.6 pg/ml to 3.71 pg/ml) and Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate (DHEA-S) levels (from 5.02 μg/ml to 4.07 μg/ml). Additionally, there was an increase in estradiol (from 73.4 pg/ml to 82.6 pg/ml) and progesterone levels (from 0.21 ng/ml to 0.32 ng/ml). The patient’s Ferriman Gallwey Score showed a minor decrease (from 11.3 to 10.5), indicating a slight improvement in symptoms. KD is an effective option for women with PCOS to manage weight and hormonal imbalances. Further research is needed on its long-term sustainability and potential side effects, as this short-term study reported no adverse effects.