Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2023 Jan 5;15(1):e33390.
doi: 10.7759/cureus.33390. eCollection 2023 Jan.

Women With Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: A Review of Susceptibility to Type 2 Diabetes

Affiliations
Review

Women With Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: A Review of Susceptibility to Type 2 Diabetes

Sakshi Y Layacha et al. Cureus. .

Abstract

The polycystic ovarian syndrome affects many women today. Previous research has demonstrated a direct link between it and serious ailments such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and infertility. Originally thought to be a reproductive disorder, polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is now understood to be a metabolic and psychological disorder. Women of reproductive age suffering from PCOS undergo hormonal imbalances in which progesterone, insulin, and testosterone are produced in excess. PCOS exhibits a variety of characteristics as well as a heterogeneity of symptoms, including acne, hirsutism, androgenic alopecia, irregular menstruation, infertility, obesity, and mood disorders like despair and anxiety. Chronic anovulation, hyperandrogenism, type 2 diabetes, dyslipidemia, and an elevated threat of coronary artery disease are some of its defining characteristics. PCOS develops due to interacting genetic and environmental factors. From a gynaecological curiosity, it grew into a multisystem endocrinopathy. It is fascinating to learn how hormonal issues result in gynaecological problems. Insulin resistance, compensatory hyperinsulinism, and an increase in ovarian androgenic hyperresponsiveness to circulating insulin are all directly related to hyperandrogenism and anovulation. Independent of weight, insulin resistance is more common with PCOS and plays a crucial role in the syndrome's metabolic and reproductive complications. Anovulation, polycystic ovaries, and elevated luteinizing hormones, which increase circulating androgen, are all caused by a reduction in follicle-stimulating hormone. High androgen levels cause hyperinsulinemia, which leads cells to become insulin resistant and makes PCOS patients more likely to develop diabetes mellitus. Later research established that women with polycystic ovarian shape and persistent anovulation are the only ones susceptible to insulin resistance. Insulin resistance is thus a distinct characteristic of the condition. The purpose of this review paper is to investigate how PCOS ultimately results in type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Keywords: hyperandrogenism; hyperinsulinemia; insulin resistant; polycystic ovary syndrome; type 2 diabetes.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Consequences of insufficient insulin
Self-created image
Figure 2
Figure 2. Flowchart on the selection of studies based on PRISMA guidelines
PRISMA: Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses

References

    1. The importance of insulin resistance in polycystic ovary syndrome. Goodarzi MO, Korenman SG. Fertil Steril . 2003;80:255–258. - PubMed
    1. Polycystic ovary syndrome. McCartney CR, Marshall JC. N Engl J Med. 2016;375:54–64. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Polycystic ovary syndrome: etiology, pathogenesis and diagnosis. Goodarzi MO, Dumesic DA, Chazenbalk G, Azziz R. Nat Rev Endocrinol. 2011;7:219–231. - PubMed
    1. Ontogeny of the ovary in polycystic ovary syndrome. Dumesic DA, Richards JS. Fertil Steril. 2013;100:23–38. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Effects of metformin on pregnancy outcomes in women with polycystic ovary syndrome: A meta-analysis. Zeng XL, Zhang YF, Tian Q, Xue Y, An RF. Medicine (Baltimore) 2016;95:0. - PMC - PubMed

LinkOut - more resources