Adding myo-inositol to metformin improved insulin resistance and cycle regularity in PCOS
Published Dec 12, 2024
Methods
Researchers randomly assigned 196 women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) to take either a fixed-dose combination of metformin and myo-inositol, or metformin alone, twice daily for 24 weeks in a double-blind, multicenter trial. They tracked insulin resistance (measured by HOMA-IR) and menstrual cycle regularity before and after treatment.
Findings
75% of the combination-therapy group showed improvement in insulin resistance by week 24, compared with about 61% of the metformin-only group. The combination group also saw a significantly greater improvement in menstrual cycle regularity over the same period.
Caveats & Context
This trial ran for only 24 weeks, so it does not show whether the improvement holds up over a longer period, and it did not comprehensively assess broader outcomes such as quality of life or pregnancy rates. The authors declared no external funding or financial relationships relevant to the study.
A Phase III, Double-Blind, Randomized, Multicenter, Clinical Trial to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of a Fixed-Dose Combination of Metformin Hydrochloride and Myo-Inositol Compared to Metformin in Patients With Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
Cureus · doi.org/10.7759/cureus.75616