Two and a half hours of brisk walk/week improves menstruation in PCOS women

Regular physical activity, specifically brisk walking positively affects women with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), a study published in the “International Journal of Infertility & Fetal Medicine” illuminated. This study by Shivasekar M et al. aimed to determine the effect of physical activity on insulin resistance (IR) and adipokine levels in PCOS patients. Conducted with 143 women diagnosed with PCOS and 110 controls, the study involved measuring various biomarkers and assessing IR through HOMA-IR and HOMA-adiponectin.

Participants were advised to engage in brisk walking for 150 minutes per week over 12 weeks. Initial findings showed that PCOS women had low adiponectin and high resistin levels, alongside elevated IR markers. After the 12-week intervention, the results were promising: adiponectin levels increased by 4.75%, while resistin, HOMA-IR, and HOMA-adiponectin levels decreased. A strong correlation was observed between increased adiponectin levels and the amount of brisk walking.

Additionally, women who completed the walking regimen saw a significant reduction in IR markers and a 16.6% drop in HOMA-IR and 29% in HOMA-adiponectin. Most notably, 80% of those who walked over 150 minutes a week experienced positive ovulation, underlining the potential of brisk walking to enhance menstrual cycle regularity and ovulation in PCOS patients.