Golden Shoes

Woman’s voice rise and fall in tune with fertility: Study

London, October 8: Here’s some news for men! A woman raises her voice at the point in her monthly cycle when she is at her most fertile, and this is what actually makes her more attractive, a new study has revealed.

Researchers have found that women’s voices rise and fall in tune with their fertility — in fact, the female voice rises a day or two before ovulation when women are most likely to become pregnant.

According to them, the findings are the first to point a link between voice and fertility and built on recent studies that support the idea that humans are similar to other animals in displaying outward signs of fertility.

Lead researcher Dr Greg Bryant said: “Our study shows women change their voice in relation to fertility. The closer they get to ovulation the greater the increase in their pitch.

What we’re saying is by raising pitch women enhance fertility.

They’re turning up everything that makes them attractive.” Dr Bryant and colleagues at California University have based their findings on an analysis of voice recordings of 69 women — they found that the subjects spoke in a higher pitch when nearer to the time when an egg is released.

But the difference was apparent only when women spoke a simple introductory sentence such as ‘Hi, I’m a student at UCLA’ — and not for simple vowel sounds. The difference in pitch was the greatest on the two highest fertility days just before ovulation, the British media reported.

“It’s feasible these changes in vocal femininity occur primarily or exclusively during social communicative tasks — raising the intriguing possibility cues of ovulation appear more during social interactions,” Dr Bryant said.

The findings are published in the latest edition of the ‘Biology Letters’ journal.

Acupuncture, Exercise May Ease Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome

Common condition can cause menstrual woes, infertility, researchers note

THURSDAY, July 9 (HealthDay News) — Acupuncture and exercise may bring some relief to the one in 10 women of childbearing age who suffer from a common endocrine disease called polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS).

Women with the condition have elevated levels of androgen hormones — including testosterone — and often develop ovarian cysts, irregular menstrual cycles and infertility. A key feature of the disease is an increase in the high muscle sympathetic nerve activity. This regular constricting of blood vessels, which normally occurs during the body’s fight or flight response to danger, can increase a woman’s chances of developing diabetes and high blood pressure or having a heart attack or stroke.

The study, appearing online in a recent issue of the American Journal of Physiology-Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology, looked at 20 women who received either regular low-frequency electro-acupuncture on body parts commonly thought to be linked to the ovaries, took part in thrice-weekly moderate exercise or received no treatment at all over a 16-week period.

When comparing the sympathetic nerve activity before and after the study, researchers found noticeably decreased activity in the acupuncture and exercise groups compared with the control group. In the acupuncture group, the team also found significantly lower testosterone levels. High levels of this “male” hormone predict and have been thought to trigger chronic sympathetic nerve activity in women.

Those who received acupuncture also had regular menstrual cycles, while the exercise and control groups showed no change.

“The findings that low-frequency electro-acupuncture and exercise decrease sympathetic nerve activity in women with PCOS indicates a possible alternative non-pharmacologic approach to reduce cardiovascular risk in these patients,” researcher Elisabet Stener-Victorin of the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, said in a news release.

The authors noted that the study’s small sample size was one of several limitations, and it may require more research into the issue before a definite conclusion could be drawn.

More information

The Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome Association has more about PCOS.

July 9 2009 
Copyright © 2009 ScoutNews, LLC. All rights reserved.

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Study | Comparison of aerobic exercise capacity and muscle strength in overweight women with and without polycystic ovary syndrome.

Comparison of aerobic exercise capacity and muscle strength in overweight women with and without polycystic ovary syndrome.

From: HERE

Thomson R, Buckley J, Moran L, Noakes M, Clifton P, Norman R, Brinkworth G.

Australian Technology Network Centre for Metabolic Fitness & Nutritional Physiology Research Centre, Sansom Institute for Health Research, University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA, Australia.

Objective
To assess maximal aerobic capacity () and muscle strength in overweight and obese women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and determine their relationship with metabolic and hormonal factors. Design Cross-sectional study. Setting Clinical Research Unit. Population Overweight and obese women with PCOS (n = 10) and age-and weight-matched healthy controls (n = 16). Methods was measured during an incremental treadmill test and maximal isometric (ImS) and isokinetic knee extensor strength (IkS) (120 degrees /second) were assessed by isokinetic dynamometry. Main outcome measures , ImS, IkS, waist circumference, blood lipids, glucose, insulin, insulin resistance (homeostatic model assessment [HOMA2]), C-reactive protein (CRP), hormonal profile.

Results
PCOS women had higher levels of testosterone and free testosterone (P </= 0.05), but there were no significant differences in any cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk markers between the groups. was similar in women with PCOS and healthy controls (PCOS 26.0 +/- 4.1 ml/kg/minute, controls 25.7 +/- 3.8 ml/kg/minute; P = 0.90), as was ImS (PCOS 1.50 +/- 0.54 Nm/kg, controls 1.50 +/- 0.47 Nm/kg; P = 0.96) and IkS (PCOS 1.04 +/- 0.32 Nm/kg, controls 1.16 +/- 0.23 Nm/kg; P = 0.32). was inversely related to waist circumference, insulin, HOMA2 and CRP. Waist circumference was inversely associated with ImS and IkS. No significant associations between exercise parameters and hormonal variables were identified.

Conclusions
Compared to age- and weight-matched healthy overweight and obese women with similar insulin resistance and CVD risk profiles, women with PCOS had similar aerobic capacity and muscle strength. This suggests PCOS, at least in the absence of an adverse metabolic profile is unlikely to limit physical function. Larger studies examining the effects of PCOS on exercise tolerance in a diverse range of PCOS phenotypes is required.

PMID: 19438498 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher

Association of insulin resistance with anti-Mullerian hormone levels in women without polycystic ovary syndrome.

Association of insulin resistance with anti-Mullerian hormone levels in women without polycystic ovary syndrome.

From: HERE

Park HT, Cho GJ, Ahn KH, Shin JH, Kim YT, Hur JY, Kim SH, Lee KW, Kim T.

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.

Objective: To explore the relationship of insulin resistance (IR) and adipokines (leptin, adiponectin, RBP4) to anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) levels in women without polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Design/patients/measurements: We recruited 120 healthy, reproductive age women without PCOS. An overnight fasting blood draw, anthropometric measurements, analyses of serum levels of AMH, adipokines (leptin, adiponectin, RBP4) and total testosterone, a homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), and a transvaginal ultrasound scan were performed between the third and fifth day of their spontaneous menstrual cycles.

Results: Higher HOMA-IR levels were associated with lower levels of AMH. After adjustment for age, serum AMH levels negatively correlated with insulin, fasting glucose, HOMA-IR, and RBP4. However, a positive correlation was identified between serum AMH and adiponectin. A final multiple stepwise linear regression demonstrated that HOMA-IR was independently associated with AMH.

Conclusion: An independent relationship exists between HOMA-IR and AMH in women without PCOS, possibly due to the effect of abnormal insulin action on AMH secretion by granulosa cells.

PMID: 19438903 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

Study | Homocysteine concentrations in follicular fluid are associated with poor oocyte and embryo qualities in polycysti c ovary syndrome patients undergoing assisted reproduction.

Homocysteine concentrations in follicular fluid are associated with poor oocyte and embryo qualities in polycystic ovary syndrome patients undergoing assisted reproduction.

From: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19443458?ordinalpos=1&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_DefaultReportPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum

Berker B, Kaya C, Aytac R, Satiroglu H.

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ankara University, Ankara, Turkey.

BACKGROUND A poor quality of oocytes and embryos and a low fertilization rate have been found in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) patients. An inverse association between follicular fluid homocysteine (Hcy) levels and oocyte and embryo quality has also been demonstrated. We examined the relationship between follicular fluid Hcy concentrations and oocyte and embryo quality in PCOS patients undergoing assisted reproduction.

METHODS Fifty-two PCOS patients were included in the study, and underwent GnRH agonist/recombinant FSH treatment. The Hcy, folate, vitamin B(12), malonyldialdehyde (MDA) and estradiol (E(2)) levels were measured in follicular fluid from single oocytes at time of retrieval. One follicle per ovary was sampled and 94 were analysed. Plasma hormones were also measured. Oocytes and embryos were graded (1-3) using standard approaches.

RESULTS The concentrations of Hcy, E(2), vitamin B(12), folate and MDA in plasma were higher than in follicular fluid (all P < 0.001). Significant differences were observed in follicular Hcy levels between Grade 3 and Grade 2 oocytes (P < 0.001). Hcy levels were lower in Grade 1-2 embryos than that in Grade 3 embryos; follicular fluid vitamin B(12) levels were lower in patients showing high concentrations of follicular fluid Hcy (P < 0.01). The follicular fluid Hcy levels were negatively correlated with follicular fluid vitamin B(12) (r = -0.44), folate (r = -0.68) and fertilization rate (r = -0.85), and positively correlated with follicular fluid MDA (r = 0.51).

CONCLUSIONS Concentrations of Hcy in follicular fluid on the dOPU may be a useful marker for fertilization rate, and oocyte and embryo quality in PCOS patients undergoing assisted reproduction.

PMID: 19443458 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

Study | PCOS in South India

1: J Assoc Physicians India. 2008 Dec;56:945-8.Related Articles, Links

Psychosocial aspects of women with polycystic ovary syndrome from south India.

Sundararaman PG, Shweta, Sridhar GR.

Govt Hospital for Women and Children, Chennai.

BACKGROUND: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), though initially manifesting with reproductive and cosmetic symptoms is a harbinger of insulin resistance syndrome. It is associated with psychological distress in both management as well as in its etiology. There are no Indian studies on psychological stress in women with PCOS.

METHODS: Ninety nine women who presented with PCOS to the Endocrinology clinic were administered Goldberg’s GHQ 28 (General Health Questionnaire) to assess psychological status, along with clinical, hormonal and ultrasound evaluation.

RESULTS: Fifty four percent had a GHQ28 score >8. Among them 38% had a family size <4, 72% had obesity, 70% had hirsutism, 72% had a waist circumference >88 cm and 69% had a F/G score >4 . All these variables were statistically significant; p < 0.05 using Chi-square test.

CONCLUSION: Women presenting with PCOS had increased psychological distress, which was related to smaller size of family, and more severe physical manifestations of the condition.

PMID: 19322973 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

From pubmed.com