| Background: There is a promising outlook regarding the potential effect of spinach-derived thylakoids in the
management of obesity and its associated metabolic disturbances. This research aimed to evaluate the effects of
spinach-derived thylakoids supplementation combined with a calorie-restricted diet on anthropometric and
metabolic profiles in obese women with the polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).
Methods: In a 12-week double-blind placebo-controlled randomized clinical trial, 48 females with obesity and PCOS
were randomly allocated into either intervention (5 g/day thylakoid) or placebo (5 g/day cornstarch) groups along with
calorie-restricted diets. Anthropometric measures, physical activity levels, dietary intakes, insulin resistance markers, as
well as serum levels of insulin, fasting blood glucose (FBG), non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA), and sex hormones
including dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), sex
hormone-binding globulin (SHBG), and free androgen index (FAI) were evaluated pre-and post-intervention.
Results: After the 12-week intervention, there were significant decreases in weight (− 6.97 ± 0.52 vs. -3.19 ±
0.72 kg; P < 0.001), waist circumference (− 7.78 ± 2.50 vs. -3.73 ± 1.40 cm; P < 0.001), fat mass (− 5.19 ± 0.53 vs.
-1.36 ± 0.39 kg; P < 0.001), and insulin levels (− 5.40 ± 1.86 vs. -1.19 ± 0.85 μU/mL; P < 0.001) in the spinachderived
thylakoid group compared to the placebo group. Furthermore, insulin resistance markers and serum
levels of testosterone decreased significantly in the thylakoid group compared to the placebo group (P < 0.05).
The changes in other parameters did not show significant differences between the two groups. |