Fasting and Postprandial Oxytocin and Incretin Dynamics in Women with PCOS and Healthy Controls

Objective To evaluate the dynamics of oxytocin, glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) in response to a mixed meal test (MMT) in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), and to assess their associations with hunger, satiety, and food craving. Design Cross-sectional study. Methods Thirty-six women with PCOS (mean age: 21.6 ± 2.6 years; BMI: 25.5 ± 4.6 kg/m²) and 36 age- and BMI-matched healthy controls were enrolled. All participants underwent an MMT during the early follicular phase with blood samples collected at 0, 30, 60, and 120 minutes. Hunger, satiety, and food craving were assessed via Visual Analog Scale (VAS) and Food Craving Questionnaire (FCQ). Results PCOS group showed lower baseline oxytocin levels than controls (1294 ± 93 pg/mL vs 1580 ± 83 pg/mL respectively; p=0.024). In response to a mixed meal, oxytocin declined within 30 minutes in controls but remained unchanged in the PCOS group. Both baseline and AUC values for GLP-1 and GIP were reduced in the PCOS group (p<0.001, p=0.022; and p<0.001, p=0.033 respectively). Oxytocin and GLP-1 levels were significantly correlated at all time points. In controls only, early oxytocin changes correlated negatively with hunger and positively with satiety. FCQ scores were higher in PCOS (p<0.001), indicating increased food craving. Conclusions Women with PCOS show lower fasting oxytocin and incretin levels and impaired postprandial responses. The correlation between oxytocin and GLP-1 indicates a potentially shared pathway in appetite regulation, which may be altered in PCOS and warrants further investigation.