A new study has shown that a daily glass of wine could help women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) to get pregnant.
According to US researchers, it’s all down to resveratol, the natural chemical compound found in red wine and grapes, which can help to moderate the hormonal imbalance caused by PCOS, a condition in which women typically have a number of small cysts around the edge of their ovaries.
Women with PCOS, which affects one in five women in Ireland, either fail to ovulate, or they ovulate infrequently, which is why it is one of the leading causes of fertility problems.
As part of the trial, which took place at the University of Poznan in Poland, 30 women who suffer from polycystic ovaries were given a resveratol supplement or a placebo.
At the end of the three month trial, the women who were given the resveratol showed a significant reduction in levels of the hormones testosterone and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS).
“The findings suggest resveratrol can improve the body’s ability to use insulin and potentially lower the risk of developing diabetes,” said lead author Professor Antoni Duleba of the University of California.
“The supplement may be able to help reduce the risk of metabolic problems common in women with PCOS.”
The research was published in the Endocrine Society’s Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.
For more information on Polycystic ovary syndrome, speak to your GP or click here.
