Effect of Magnesium and Levocarnitine on Metabolic and Clinical Outcomes in Women With Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is one of the most common endocrine disorders among women of reproductive age and is associated with metabolic abnormalities such as insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, and hormonal imbalance, which may lead to infertility and hirsutism. Despite the availability of several pharmacological treatments, many therapies fail to effectively address the underlying metabolic and endocrine dysfunctions of PCOS. Magnesium and L-carnitine are two essential nutrients that may play a synergistic role in improving insulin sensitivity, glucose metabolism, and lipid profile, as well as reducing oxidative stress and androgen production in women with PCOS. This randomized, triple-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial aims to evaluate the effects of co-supplementation with magnesium and L-carnitine on glycemic control indices, lipid profile, and hirsutism in women with PCOS. A total of 84 eligible women aged 19-65 years diagnosed with PCOS according to the Rotterdam criteria will be recruited from Shohada Tajrish Hospital, Tehran, Iran. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of three groups: (1) magnesium supplementation (500 mg/day, in two 250 mg doses) plus L-carnitine placebo, (2) L-carnitine supplementation (1000 mg/day) plus magnesium (500 mg/day), or (3) placebo control group. The intervention period will last 12 weeks. Physical activity information will be collected using short form of International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) and demographic information through a general information questionnaire. In order to evaluate dietary intake of patients in terms of energy(kcal/(day), carbohydrate(gr/day), protein(gr/day), fat intake(gr/day), saturated fatty acids (SFA) (gr/day), monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) (gr/day), polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA)(gr/day), Vitamin E (mg/day), Vitamin C (mg/day), Beta-carotene (mg/day) and Vitamin A (mg/day), cupper intake (mg/day), selenium intake (mg/day), and zink intake (mg/day), 24-hr re