Oral contraceptives are the mainstay of long-term PCOS treatment, but have potential adverse cardiometabolic effects. In a randomized controlled trial comparing oral contraceptive use and structured exercise in women with PCOS and overweight on a calorie-restricted diet, androgen excess was ameliorated with oral contraceptive use and structured exercise improved markers of cardiometabolic risk.
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Yildiz, B. Contraceptives, exercise and diet — are all three needed in PCOS?. Nat Rev Endocrinol 12, 438–440 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrendo.2016.106
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nrendo.2016.106