Introduction There is increasing evidence that vitamin D affects insulin and glucose metabolism, and a low vitamin D status is suspected to be a risk factor for impaired glucose tolerance, insulin resistance and so polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), but there is no evidence to suggest that there is a relationship between vitamin A, vitamin B₁₂, vitamin C, folate, zinc (Zn) and PCOS in the literature. We aimed to investigate the levels of vitamins A, B₁₂, C and D and zinc and the association between vitamins A, B₁₂, C and D, folate and zinc level and hormonal-biochemical parameters in PCOS.
Material and methods: We recruited 65 women with PCOS and 67 healthy individuals. Correlations between clinical and metabolic parameters and vitamins A, B₁₂, C and D and zinc status were analyzed separately in patients and controls.
Results: Women with PCOS showed a decreased serum level of vitamin A compared with the control group (p < 0.05), but they showed no differences in the levels of vitamin D, vitamin B₁₂, vitamin C, folate or Zn (p > 0.05).
Conclusions: Our study found no differences in the absolute levels of serum vitamins B₁₂, C, D, folate or Zn between PCOS patients and matched controls, but the vitamin A level was lower in PCOS patients. Prevalence of vitamins A, B₁₂, C and D and Zn insufficiency was equally common among both patients and controls.