Research
Hormonal
Insulin resistance in PCOS is characterized by selective ovarian insulin resistance (hyper-sensitivity) alongside peripheral resistance, which exacerbates androgen production.
Standard insulin-sensitizing treatments (like metformin) can help lower androgens by reducing insulin levels, which in turn reduces the ovarian stimulation of androgen production.
GoodQualifiesHIGH confidence
Despite peripheral IR, insulin sensitivity remains intact or may be even enhanced in ovaries in women with PCOS... This observation suggests the presence of selective insulin resistance in PCOS that differentially affects the metabolic tissues and ovary.
Why this rating
Supported by in vitro and in vivo studies cited in the review.
Source
Metabolic dysfunction in polycystic ovary syndrome: Pathogenic role of androgen excess and potential therapeutic strategies
Miguel A. Sánchez-Garrido et al. · Molecular Metabolism · 2020
DOI 10.1016/j.molmet.2020.01.001
narrative_reviewCited 514×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
More from this paper
- Androgen excess drives metabolic dysfunction in PCOS by promoting visceral adiposity, inducing insulin resistance through adipocyte hypertrophy and reduced adiponectin, and suppressing brown adipose tissue thermogenesis.Good
- Androgen excess reduces brown adipose tissue (BAT) thermogenesis by downregulating UCP-1, contributing to the metabolic profile of PCOS.Moderate
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