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Integrating both traditional and modern treatments could provide an effective, medication-free pathway for relief from PCOS symptoms.
In light of the 2023 international guidelines emphasizing lifestyle management for controlling excess testosterone, a recent review has unveiled exciting new possibilities for managing polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)—and it does not involve medication.
Non-drug interventions, including Traditional Chinese Medicine practices—like electroacupuncture combined with exercise and diet, have shown powerful potential in reducing hyperandrogenism in PCOS patients, offering a fresh, drug-free approach to this common yet challenging condition.
The systematic review, which included 21 studies with 1,196 participants after retrieval from renowned database portals (such as Cochrane, PubMed, etc.), comprehensively analyzed randomized controlled trials evaluating different non-drug interventions.
The study followed PRISMA guidelines and employed a robust network meta-analysis to synthesize data, allowing for comparison between various non-drug and placebo therapies. The revelations were promising. The lifestyle-based treatments (electroacupuncture, exercise and diet) effectively helped manage one of the key hormonal imbalances associated with PCOS– serum testosterone levels (standardized mean differences [SMD] = -0.57). The most compelling finding was the clinically meaningful drop in testosterone, meeting the Minimum Clinically Important Difference (MCID), confirming the change is both statistically significant and impactful for patients.
No significant effects were observed in the secondary outcome measure concerning hormones and proteins involved in androgen production and activity. But that’s not all: The combined approach also reduced the modified Ferriman-Gallwey score (weighted mean differences [WMD] = -0.81), which measures hirsutism (excessive hair growth). These results underscore the clinical relevance of non-drug interventions for managing PCOS symptoms and improving the quality of life for women battling this condition.
As per the network meta-analysis, electroacupuncture along with diet and physical activity were the most effective multi-modal approach for lowering testosterone levels (WMD = -21.75). Despite encouraging results, future research is a must to support the evidence, though physicians can assume this approach in personalized PCOS treatment plans.
Journal of Ovarian Research
Effects of non-pharmacological interventions on biochemical hyperandrogenism in women with polycystic ovary syndrome: a systematic review and network meta-analysis
Qi Jin et al.
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