Resveratrol, a polyphenol which occurs naturally in red wine, grapes, nuts and chocolate, could correct a hormonal imbalance in women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), a condition which can cause infertility in women of childbearing age.

Researchers at the University of California, San Diego, have demonstrated that a polyphenol called resveratrol, which is found in red wine, peanuts, blackberries and chocolate, was able to correct hormone levels in 30 patients with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS).

PCOS is a common condition among women of childbearing age. Symptoms can begin with the first period or in young adult women.

In these patients, the ovaries produce high amounts of male sex hormones (known as androgens) such as testosterone. The consequences include weight gain, missed periods, acne, and excess hair on the face and body. Diabetes and infertility can also occur in the most severe cases.

Based on the hormonal blood levels recorded at the beginning and the end of the study, the researchers noted a 23.1% reduction in testosterone levels among women who took the resveratrol supplement for 3 months. Conversely, the patients who took a placebo saw their testosterone levels increase by 2.9%.

The study also revealed that the resveratrol brought about a 22.2% reduction in the level of DHEAS (dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate), another hormone that the body converts into testosterone. The placebo group experienced a 10.5% increase in DHEAS levels.

Once these tests had been completed, the researchers realized that resveratrol also played a protective role against diabetes. Over the three-month trial, the women who took resveratrol became more responsive to insulin.

These findings suggest that resveratrol can improve the body's ability to use insulin and reduce the risk of developing diabetes. The researchers say that a resveratrol supplement could help to lower the risk of metabolic problems experienced by women with PCOS.

This study was published in the Endocrine Society's Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.