title: Differential effects of walnuts vs almonds on improving metabolic and endocrine parameters in PCOS.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is commonly associated with insulin resistance, dyslipidemia and increased inflammation, which all benefit from dietary intake of monounsaturated and n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (MUFA and n-3 PUFA). Our goal was to compare the effects of MUFA-rich almonds vs n-3/n-6 PUFA-rich walnuts on metabolic and endocrine parameters in PCOS.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-one PCOS patients randomly received either walnuts or almonds containing 31 g of total fat per day for 6 weeks. At the beginning and at the end, anthropometric parameters, fasting lipids, phospholipid-fatty acids, inflammatory markers, androgens, oral glucose tolerance tests (OGTT) and frequently sampled intravenous-GTT were obtained.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Weight remained stable. Within group, walnuts increased the n-3/n-6 essential PUFA in the diet and plasma phospholipids. Walnuts decreased low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol by 6% from 3.76 ± 0.27 to 3.38 ± 0.22 mmol/l (P = 0.05) and apoprotein B by 11% from 0.72 ± 0.04 to 0.64 ± 0.05 g/l (P < 0.03). Although almonds also reduced low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol by 10% and apoprotein B by 9%, these were not significant. Walnuts increased insulin response during OGTT by 26% (P < 0.02). Both walnuts and almonds increased adiponectin (walnuts from 9.5 ± 1.6 to 11.3 ± 1.8 μg per 100 ml, P = 0.0241; almonds from 10.1 ± 1.5 to 12.2 ± 1.4 μg/dl, P = 0.0262). Walnuts decreased HgBA1 from 5.7 ± 0.1 to 5.5 ± 0.1% (P = 0.0006) with significant intergroup difference from almonds (P=0.0470). Walnuts increased sex hormone-binding globulin from 38.3 ± 4.1 to 43.1 ± 4.3 nmol/l (P=0.0038) and almonds reduced free androgen index from 2.6 ± 0.4 to 1.8 ± 0.3 (P = 0.0470).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Nut intake exerted beneficial effects on plasma lipids and androgens in PCOS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, The University of California at Davis, Davis, CA, USA.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kalgaonkar
authors.forename: R U
authors.initials: RU
authors.lastname: Almario
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gurusinghe
authors.forename: E M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Garamendi
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Buchan
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: S E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Karakas
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000728:Androgens / Q000097:blood; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D004042:Dietary Fats, Unsaturated / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000378:metabolism; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000378:metabolism; D043371:Fatty Acids, Omega-6 / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D031324:Juglans / Q000737:chemistry*; D050356:Lipid Metabolism / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D011085:Polycystic Ovary Syndrome / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D027861:Prunus / Q000737:chemistry*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000728:Androgens; D001786:Blood Glucose; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D004042:Dietary Fats, Unsaturated; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3; D043371:Fatty Acids, Omega-6; D007328:Insulin