Researchers are working on dietary treatments for polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

A new study has found mice with induced polycystic ovary syndrome that ate a particular dietary balance of carbohydrates, fats and protein were able to ovulate again.

Researchers from UNSW Sydney, University of Sydney's Charles Perkin Centre and ANZAC Research Institute say it is the first time that dysfunctional reproductive function in mice with induced PCOS has been shown to be restored with diet alone.

Lead researcher Professor Kirsty Walters says she was surprised to find that a ratio of low protein, medium carbohydrate and fat appeared to reverse the effect of PCOS on the reproductive health of a subset of female mice with PCOS features.

Encouragingly, this dietary ratio falls within the range known as a Mediterranean diet.

“This is an exciting result because it has the potential to restore ovulation in women suffering from PCOS without the use of drugs,” says Prof Walters.

Currently, general healthy lifestyle behaviours for women with PCOS are recommended to reduce the severity of the symptoms – which often includes weight gain.

“Although we will need to test the effects of this diet on women with PCOS in future studies, I think our latest research is a stepping stone towards what diets we should explore further,” Prof Walters says.

PCOS is an endocrine disorder that affects more than 10 per cent of women worldwide, with symptoms including irregular or absent menstrual cycles, weight gain, and high levels of androgens (hormones typically found in higher quantities in men, such as testosterone).

It is a condition often associated with an inability to conceive, and while there are medical interventions that can assist in overriding this ailment, there is no cure and the cause remains unknown.

The research involved giving mice – which had been treated with slow-release dihydrotestosterone (DHT) pellets to produce PCOS-like traits – 10 different diets with different mixes of macronutrients.

Researcher Dr Valentina Rodriguez Paris says the cohort of mice that showed signs of ovulating again had responded to a diet that has potentially important implications for humans.

“What we found exciting was that where we did see the rescue of ovulation, the ratios of protein, carbs and fats were similar to what is found in a traditional Mediterranean diet,” she says.

“So I think this is a really strong indication that a Mediterranean diet should be explored further in human studies.”

The study is accessible here.