Nutrition interventions in women with polycystic ovary syndrome: a systematic review

PURPOSE: This systematic review aimed to synthesize current evidence on the effects of various dietary interventions on anthropometric, metabolic, hormonal, inflammatory, and oxidative stress parameters in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). METHODS: The review followed the PRISMA guidelines and was prospectively registered in PROSPERO (CRD42025641781). Searches were conducted in PubMed, Cochrane Library, EBSCO, Science Direct, Web of Science, National Thesis Center, Google Scholar, and DergiPark Academic for studies published between February 2015 and February 2025. Experimental and observational studies were included if they evaluated the independent effect of dietary interventions in adult women with PCOS. Methodological quality was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) critical appraisal tools. RESULTS: A total of 38 studies were included, covering interventions such as calorie-restricted diets, low-glycemic index/load diets, ketogenic diets, intermittent fasting, dietary approaches to stop hypertension, Mediterranean-style, and other diets. Most dietary interventions demonstrated beneficial effects on body weight, body mass index, and waist circumference, as well as improvements in insulin sensitivity, reproductive hormone regulation, and menstrual regularity. However, findings related to lipid metabolism, inflammatory markers, and oxidative stress outcomes were inconsistent. CONCLUSION: Current evidence indicates that dietary interventions are crucial in improving the management of metabolic, anthropometric, hormonal, and clinical outcomes in women with PCOS. Nevertheless, the heterogeneity of dietary approaches, study designs, and outcome measures highlights the need for long-term randomized controlled trials to establish more conclusive recommendations.