Effect of short-term diet and exercise on hormone levels and menses in obese, infertile women.

Objective: To improve serum metabolic and endocrine measures known to influence fecundity.
Study Design: Twelve infertile, obese women were enrolled in a 12-week program of diet and exercise. Subjects underwent baseline testing for estrone (E1), estradiol (E2), testosterone (T), luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), prolactin, fasting leptin, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS), C-reactive protein (CRP) and total cholesterol. Glucose and insulin levels were measured fasting and 2 hours after a 75-g glucose load. Subjects attended three 1-hour exercise sessions per week and received instructions for a 1,200- to 1,300-kcal/day diet. Serum tests and body mass index (BMI) were remeasured after 12 weeks. Intermenstrual intervals were also recorded. At 24 weeks, subjects rated compliance with diet and exercise. Main outcome measures included change in serum variables, BMI and intermenstrual interval.
Results: BMI, total cholesterol and E1/E2 ratio significantly decreased over 12 weeks (mean difference +/- SEM, 2.06 +/- 0.51 kg/m2, 25.91 +/- 4.33 mg/dL and 0.7 +/- 0.22, respectively). No significant differences were noted for all other measures. Ten of the 12 subjects (83%) showed menstrual improvement, with 8 becoming eumenorrheic.
Conclusion: Favorable metabolic and menstrual changes are possible in obese, infertile women after 12 weeks of diet and exercise.