Meal Timing on Glucose and Hyperandrogenism in PCOS Women

Hyperinsulinemia plays a central role in the pathogenesis in obese as well as in lean PCOS women. These women are insulin resistant and have compensatory hyperinsulinemia that stimulates ovarian cytochrome P450c17 alpha activity that in turn stimulates ovarian androgen concentrations. In obese PCOS women, weight loss improves insulin resistance and hyperandrogenism, resulting in improvement of clinical symptoms. Since lean PCOS women do not have the option of weight loss, it is important to know if composition and meal timing distribution may influence glucose metabolism and hyperandrogenism and cytochrome P450c17 alpha activity. We hypothesized that a timing pattern of increased nutrient intake of protein and carbohydrates in the morning, with decreased caloric intake at night would improve insulin sensitivity and hyperandrogenism in lean women with PCOS