Abstract

Background. Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is an endocrine disorder affecting women of reproductive age, characterized by hyperandrogenism, obesity, dyslipidemia, irregular menstrual cycles, and changes in ovarian morphology. Therefore, it is important to investigate whether an individualized exercise program influences body composition, lipid profile, mental health, and ovarian cysts.

Methods. An 18-year-old woman diagnosed with type 1 classic PCOS participated in a 9-week (1-week familiarization and 8-week intervention) individualized exercise program that included resistance training (3 days per week) and aerobic exercise (3 days per week). Outcome measures included BMI, waist-hip ratio, body fat percentage, lipid profile, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and ovarian size at baseline and post-intervention.

Results. There was a notable improvement in all measured outcomes: BMI decreased from 28.1 kg/m² to 24.6 kg/m²; waist-hip ratio reduced from 0.88 to 0.81; body fat percentage dropped from 34.1% to 29.1%; total cholesterol declined from 174 mg/dL to 152 mg/dL; triglycerides decreased from 167 mg/dL to 154 mg/dL; LDL decreased from 91 mg/dL to 82 mg/dL; HDL decreased from 67 mg/dL to 59 mg/dL. Anxiety and depression scores also improved. The left ovary size decreased from 2.75 × 1.58 cm to 2.1 × 1.2 cm, while the right ovary size decreased from 3.55 × 2.33 cm to 2.9 × 1.9 cm.

Conclusion. The results indicate that an individualized exercise program can effectively improve body composition, lipid profile, mental health, and ovarian morphology in young women with PCOS. However, further studies on a larger population are needed to confirm these findings.

Key words

polycystic ovarian syndrome, aerobic exercise, resistance training, body composition, dyslipidemia