Ahmad Fatimah M, Benor Ariel
Obstetrics and Gynecology, American University of Antigua, Antigua and Barbuda, USA.
Obstetrics and Gynecology, West Virginia University Berkeley Medical Center, Martinsburg, USA.
Cureus. 2025 Apr 11;17(4):e82116. doi: 10.7759/cureus.82116. eCollection 2025 Apr.
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a prevalent and complex endocrine disorder that affects many women of reproductive age. It is characterized by hyperandrogenism, ovulatory dysfunction, and polycystic ovarian morphology. PCOS is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, obesity, diabetes, and other long-term health conditions, including cancer. Given its widespread impact, it should be recognized as a significant public health concern, highlighting the urgent need to investigate its underlying causes and the behavioral factors contributing to its rising prevalence. The increasing prevalence of PCOS is closely linked to the global and national rise in obesity. Alarmingly, a significant portion of cases remain undiagnosed. Although the etiology of PCOS has yet to be elucidated, the general consensus is that obesity and insulin resistance (IR) are likely strong contributing factors. Although the etiology of IR is multifactorial, some believe that it may be associated with dairy consumption. Dairy, particularly cow's milk, has been a staple in the Western diet for decades; however, over the past 50 years, due to the popularization from marketing campaigns promoting it as beneficial for bone health, its consumption has now skyrocketed. There has been a growing focus on the role of dairy products on disease, especially regarding their impact on ovulation, fertility, and endocrinologic/metabolism disorders. Here, we attempt to review the contemporary evidence examining the possible role and relationship of dairy products to the pathophysiology of PCOS. We hope to clarify to the reader, based on the best available evidence, whether a low-dairy diet may help improve PCOS parameters and its comorbid conditions. This review aims to explore this question with the goal of addressing gaps in the current understanding of the interplay between dairy consumption and hormonal/metabolic dysfunction.
多囊卵巢综合征（PCOS）是一种常见且复杂的内分泌紊乱疾病，影响着许多育龄女性。其特征为雄激素过多、排卵功能障碍和多囊卵巢形态。PCOS与心血管疾病、肥胖、糖尿病以及包括癌症在内的其他长期健康问题的风险增加有关。鉴于其广泛影响，应将其视为一个重大的公共卫生问题，这凸显了迫切需要研究其潜在病因以及导致其患病率上升的行为因素。PCOS患病率的上升与全球及各国肥胖率的上升密切相关。令人担忧的是，很大一部分病例仍未得到诊断。尽管PCOS的病因尚未阐明，但普遍的共识是肥胖和胰岛素抵抗（IR）可能是重要的促成因素。尽管IR的病因是多因素的，但一些人认为它可能与乳制品消费有关。几十年来，乳制品，尤其是牛奶，一直是西方饮食的主食；然而，在过去50年里，由于营销活动将其宣传为对骨骼健康有益而得以普及，其消费量现已飙升。人们越来越关注乳制品在疾病中的作用，尤其是它们对排卵、生育能力以及内分泌/代谢紊乱的影响。在此，我们试图回顾当代证据，以检验乳制品与PCOS病理生理学之间可能的作用和关系。我们希望根据现有最佳证据向读者阐明，低乳制品饮食是否有助于改善PCOS参数及其合并症。本综述旨在探讨这个问题，以填补当前对乳制品消费与激素/代谢功能障碍之间相互作用理解上的空白。
