Association between the polycystic ovary syndrome and the metabolic syndrome in Puerto Rico

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) affects mostly young women causing chronic anovulation, hyperandrogenism, hirsutism and obesity with android pattern. The prevalence of the metabolic syndrome (abnormal glucose metabolism, dyslipidemia, hypertension and increased waist circumference) in PCOS is not defined although both have a common etiologic factor: insulin resistance. This retrospective study from medical records examined the presence of obesity and features of the metabolic syndrome in women with PCOS. The metabolic syndrome was defined as presence of two or more of the following signs: abnormal glucose metabolism, hypertriglyceridemia, low HDL, and hypertension. Thirty nine records of patients with PCOS were reviewed. The mean age was 29.4 years and the body mass index was 36 kg/m2. Hypertriglyceridemia was present in 43, low HDL in 71, hypertension in 36, impaired glucose tolerance in 10and diabetes mellitus type 2 in 37. The metabolic syndrome was identified in 44of sampled women with PCOS. These findings indicate that women with PCOS are at increased risk of diabetes mellitus type 2 at a young age. PCOS patients have higher prevalence of the metabolic syndrome than the rest of the population and thus are at increased risk of cardiovascular disease even if they don't develop diabetes mellitus type 2.

The natural growth hormone explosion: fact or fraud?

Since the past decade there has been a rapidly growing market of natural growth hormone (GH) products based on clinical trials carried out on GH-deficient persons, using the injectable hormone, which is the FDA-approved form. Prior medical publications on the benefits of GH replacement brought about an exaggerated interest on the use of this hormone as a dietary supplement for rejuvenating purposes. This has led to the uncontrolled proliferation of all kinds of GH products advertised irresponsibly as if having extraordinary age-reversing properties without the necessary clinical trials to prove their effectiveness and safety. This review summarizes the circumstances which led to this excitement over GH therapy and provides an overview of the different types and forms in which these natural GH products are sold, giving emphasis on the possible misleading advertisements and the lack of reliable proof to their claims.