Females with polycystic ovary syndrome may benefit from incorporating protein-rich diets to improve insulin resistance.

To summarize the impact of High-protein diets (HPDs) in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

This systematic review and meta-analysis is based on exploring 7 electronic databases from inception to April 2023. Eight clinical studies comparing the effects of HPDs and different diets on the anthropometric measurements, metabolic parameters, and hormones for PCOS-affected women were recognized. Pooled data was analyzed via random-effects models, presented as weighted mean differences with 95% confidence intervals. The Cochrane risk-of-bias tool was also used.

Compared to iso-caloric diets, protein-rich diet was found to considerably lowers fasting insulin levels and homoeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance among 300 PCOS-affected women (Table 1):

Nonetheless, both diets showed similar impacts on weight loss, abdominal fat, lipid profiles and hormones (all P ≥ 0.05).

HPDs enhance insulin resistance among women with PCOS, suggesting their potential inclusion as a dietary management approach for this condition. However, additional randomized controlled trials conducted in larger and more diverse populations are necessary to confirm these findings and explore underlying mechanisms.