The effects of spinach-derived thylakoid supplementation in combination with calorie restriction on anthropometric parameters and metabolic profiles in obese women with polycystic ovary syndrome: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial
What this study found
Adding 5 g/day spinach-derived thylakoids to calorie restriction for 12 weeks was associated with greater improvements in weight-related outcomes and metabolic status than calorie restriction alone. In the thylakoid group, weight decreased from 89.21 to 82.23 kg (MD -6.97, 95% CI -7.21 to -6.73; P<0.001), BMI from 35.13 to 32.38 kg/m^2 (MD -2.74; P<0.001), waist circumference from 108.09 to 100.31 cm (MD -7.78; P<0.001), and fat mass from 32.40 to 27.21 kg (MD -5.19; P<0.001). The authors also concluded that insulin sensitivity improved and total testosterone decreased, with no adverse…
- Study & population
- Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial in obese women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) recruited from clinics in Tabriz, Iran.
- Intervention
- Spinach-derived thylakoid-rich extract powder at 5 g/day, taken orally once daily as a sachet 30 minutes before lunch for 12 weeks, added to a calorie-restricted diet.
- Key limitation
- The trial was small, with 24 randomized and 21 completed in the active arm, and lasted only 12 weeks.
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Open PDFOriginal abstract
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 spinach-derived 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. Conclusions Spinach-derived thylakoid supplementation resulted in more favorable improvements in anthropometric indices and insulin sensitivity compared to the calorie restriction alone. Trial registration The study was approved by the Ethics Committee of Research Vice-chancellor of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran, and was registered in the Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials (registration ID: IRCT20140907019082N9 ).