Determining the Relationship between Poly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome and Vitamin D Levels in Obese and Non Obese Women

Poly cystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrine condition in reproductive-age women. Chronic anovulation, hyperandrogenism, and polycystic ovaries are the typical triad of PCOS symptoms. Its biochemical characteristics include insulin resistance and metabolic abnormalities. Vitamin D is now linked to insulin sensitivity, diabetes mellitus type 2 and gonadal activities, in addition to its classical involvement in bone and calcium metabolism. Vitamin D may be a missing link between insulin resistance and PCOS.

Vitamin D levels are low in PCOS women, and vitamin D supplementation may be beneficial in the treatment of PCOS. This assumption, however, has not been proven consistently in clinical studies.

A study was conducted in a rural medical college in south India to determine the relationship between PCOS and vitamin D. BMI and vitamin D levels were measured in 120 women with PCOS and 60 age-matched non-PCOS women. Vitamin D deficiency was discovered in 60.8 percent of PCOS women and 61.7 percent of control women. Only 11.7 percent of the PCOS group and 13.3 percent of the control group have vitamin D levels greater than 30 ng/ml. The mean vitamin D levels in 120 PCOS women, 68 non-obese PCOS women, and 52 obese PCOS women were 18.94, 19.2, and 18.6 ng/ml, respectively. The mean vitamin D levels in 60 non-PCOS women, 39 non-PCOS non-obese women, and 21 non-PCOS obese women are 18.4, 19.0, and 17.3 ng/ml respectively. These differences are not statistically significant. Hence it is concluded that, vitamin deficiency is in the community at large, not in any way specifically important in PCOS and BMI.