Nutraceutical Treatment of Patients with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

Abstract

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is a common cause of infertility, requiring antioestrogen and, possibly, gonadotropin treatment for the induction of ovulation. However, patients suffering from this disease need long-term treatment since PCOS is associated with an increased risk of metabolic syndrome, hyperinsulinemia, oxidative stress, inflammation, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. Allopathic treatment includes the continuous use of oral contraceptives, preferentially with complementary anti-androgen activity, and metformin. However, these treatments only partially correct all aspects of the disease, while carrying potential adverse effects per se. Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) offers opportunities for treatment through the use of nutraceuticals containing plant extracts, minerals, and vitamins with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and adaptogen capacity, as well as for correcting insulin resistance. Here we justify the formulation of the nutraceutical QALY® (Jona Pharma, Elversele, Belgium) that is composed of Ubiquinone Q10, the vitamins B9 and B12, the salts of zinc and selenium, the biomass of Haematococcus pluvialis, and the extracts of Mediterranean pine bark and of Rhodiola rosea. This can be complemented by phytotherapy with the extract of Momordica charantia plus alfa lipoic acid (Momordica plus®).