Effects of vitamin D supplementation on oxidative stress biomarkers of Iranian women with polycystic ovary syndrome: a meta-analysis study

Abstract Objective To identify the impact of redox imbalance on the clinical evolution of patients with polycystic ovary syndrome and carry out a qualitative and quantitative projection of the benefits of vitamin D supplementation. Data sources Combinations of the keywords polycystic ovary syndrome, vitamin D, oxidative stress, reactive oxygen species, antioxidant, and free radicals were used in PubMed, Cochrane Library, LILACS, EMBASE, and Web of Science databases. The last search was conducted on August 22, 2023.Selection of studies: Based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria, studies were selected considering a low risk of bias, published in the last 5 years in English, which investigated the effects of vitamin D supplementation in women with PCOS, focusing on oxidative stress markers. Of the 136 articles retrieved, 6 intervention studies (445 women) were included. Data collection The risk of bias in included studies was assessed using the Jadad scale, and analysis and visualization of continuous data were performed using Review Manager 5.4.1, summarized as standardized mean differences (SMD) with confidence intervals (CI) of 95%. Data synthesis Vitamin D effectively reduced malondialdehyde (P=0.002) and total testosterone (P=0.0004) levels and increased total antioxidant capacity levels (P=0.01). Although possible improvements in the modified Ferriman–Gallwey hirsutism score, levels of sex hormone-binding globulin, and free androgen index were identified and the results were not statistically significant. Conclusion Vitamin D is a promising alternative for the treatment of PCOS with a positive influence on the oxidative, metabolic, and endocrine disorders of this syndrome.